Washington – US Secret Service officers detained the driver of a U-Haul box truck in Washington on Monday night after the vehicle crashed into a barrier near the White House, the agency said in a statement.
“There were no injuries to any Secret Service or White House personnel and the cause and manner of the crash remain under investigation,” the statement said.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi later said in a tweet that a “preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square”, adding that charges would be filed over the incident.
The truck has been deemed safe by @DCPoliceDept & preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square. Charges will be filed by the United States Park Police with investigative support from the #SecretService.
— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) May 23, 2023
A local CBS affiliate, WUSA9, reported that what appeared to be a Nazi flag had been found during a search of the U-Haul, though no other information on the flag was provided.
The crash took place just before 10 pm (02:00 GMT) on the northern edge of the square, a few hundred yards from the White House in an area home to several upmarket hotels.
A local Fox affiliate reported that some hotel guests said they had been told to evacuate after the crash.
A journalist with the station posted video from the scene showing a robot searching the cargo area of the truck.
Alarm in the USA: A truck crashed into the barriers at the White House, a flag with a swastika was found
On Monday evening, police detained a truck driver who crashed his vehicle into security barriers on Lafayette Square in front of the White House in Washington. pic.twitter.com/unFl0H1LIG
— Spriter (@Spriter99880) May 23, 2023
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Source: AFP
Picture: Pexels
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