A person was arrested near the White House on Tuesday after allegedly breaching a security checkpoint close to The Ellipse, as Washington remained on high alert during King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s state visit.
The person was taken into custody near the Ellipse, or President’s Park South, after evading a security checkpoint.
A Secret Service spokesperson said criminal charges were forthcoming, while the suspect’s identity, motive, and whether any weapons were involved were not immediately disclosed, per Hindustan Times.
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After Saturday’s scare, security came locked in
The security response followed Saturday’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton, where President Donald Trump and senior officials were attending the event.
Reuters reported that the suspect in that case, identified by law enforcement as 31-year-old Cole Allen, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president, along with firearms-related offenses. The attack prompted officials to review presidential security protocols and intensified scrutiny of the Secret Service’s arrangements for large public events.
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Royals in town, security on max settings
The Secret Service also posted about its role in securing the royal visit, saying, “State visits don’t stay safe by accident.”
King Charles’ state visit to the United States went ahead as planned despite the earlier shooting, with the monarch continuing his Washington program and addressing Congress on Tuesday.The visit is being closely guarded as US authorities handle the fallout from the earlier attack and the new breach near the White House.
It is unclear whether any weapons were involved, which makes the incident materially different from the earlier shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.