West Wing of White House evacuated
Monday, January 28, 2008
Image: Tina Hager.
The United States Secret Service has evacuated the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C. after finding a suspicious package. Reports say the package was found on the grounds of the White House just outside the West Wing.
One person has been arrested after the Secret Service says he made a "verbal threat against the President" of the U.S. George W. Bush through the fence near the West Wing. He also left the package on the White House grounds.
"We had an individual arrested for making a threat against the president on the fence line. He left behind a suspicious package," said a spokesman for the Secret Service, Malcolm Wiley. No name has been released, and it is not known what he will be charged with. Reports say the man was somewhere in his 40's. He was bald and wore a brown leather jacket.
Officials for the bomb squad are investigating the package, but say that nothing inside it was harmful.
The area was briefly closed to any members of the public.
Sources
[edit]- Associated Press. "Man arrested outside White House" — USA Today, January 28, 2008
- "Man Arrested for Threatening Bush, Leaving Suspicious Package Outside White House" — FOX News Channel, January 28, 2008
- David Edwards. "Bomb squad probes 'suspicious package' near White House lawn" — The Raw Story, January 28, 2008
- "Man arrested after allegedly threatening Bush near White House" — USA Today, January 28, 2008
- Tabassum Zakaria & Jackie Frank. "Man arrested near White House for verbal threat" — Reuters, January 28, 2008
