The U.S. Secret Service arrested a man on Sunday afternoon after he scaled a gate at the U.S. Treasury Department building in downtown Washington, prompting a temporary lockdown and bomb squad response.
The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m., when the unidentified suspect climbed over a security gate at the Treasury compound, which sits adjacent to the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue.
In a statement, the Secret Service said traffic in the surrounding area was immediately blocked off as Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department bomb squad was called to examine a bag the man had left outside the perimeter fence.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the bag was investigated by MPD’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit,” the Secret Service noted. Officials later confirmed that the bag did not contain an explosive device.
According to the statement, no Secret Service protectees including the President or other high-profile officials were present at the White House during the incident.
The man, whose identity has not been publicly released, was taken into custody and charged with unlawful entry. Authorities also confirmed he had an outstanding warrant and was transported to a local hospital for a medical evaluation.
While authorities have not released further details on the suspect’s motive, the incident highlights ongoing security concerns in the nation’s capital, particularly near high-security government buildings.
The Treasury Department and surrounding federal buildings remain under heightened security, but operations have since returned to normal.
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