White House placed on lockdown with President Obama inside after woman throws package over the fence
Suspicious package thrown over the North Lawn fence triggered an emergency response
THE White House was put on lockdown today after a woman threw something over the north fence - just minutes after the President returned home.
Reporters were not allowed to leave the White House press room and fire trucks and a hazardous materials response unit were called to the scene.
A woman has since been arrested, according to the Secret Service.
The woman - who has not been identified - reportedly threw a package over the North Lawn fence which runs along Pennsylvania Avenue.
It is believed the package contained papers and is now being investigated.
"An individual threw a metal object over the north fence line at the White House. Secret Service Uniformed Division officers immediately apprehended the individual without incident. All protective sweeps of the metal object were met with negative results," spokesman Shawn Holtzclaw said in an emailed statement.
Cops in Hazmat suits were seen combing the lawn during the lockdown - something which is common practice after such incidents to ensure nothing dangerous was thrown over the fence.
The lockdown happened shortly after President Barack Obama returned from delivering a Memorial Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery.
During his speech President challenged Americans to fill the silence from those who died serving their country with love and support for families of the fallen, "not just with words but with our actions."
Mr Obama also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns to honor the nation's war dead.
It was later revealed Monday's emergency was also a partial lockdown, meaning only to the north side of the White House and grounds were closed off.
Today's lockdown comes just over a week after a similar incident at the President's home.
On May 22, the White House was briefly placed on lockdown when party balloons drifted overhead and landed on the North Lawn which is the roof of the press office and Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
And days before that the building was also shut down when an armed man - identified as Jesse Olivieri - was shot near an outer perimeter checkpoint by a secret service agent when he failed to drop his firearm.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368