Something is currently afoot at the White House, as the Secret Service has issued a “lock down” procedure after finding a suspicious package near the White House grounds. The incident seems to have begun around 10:30 am, with the Secret Service sending out a tweet about road closures and establishing a security perimeter between 10:40 and 11am. The package was reportedly discovered at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
White House on lockdown at 10:25am for a “suspicious package” per Secret Service Uniformed Division officer
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) March 28, 2017
.@SecretService investigating suspicious package near @WhiteHouse grounds. Road closures in effect.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) March 28, 2017
USSS is investigating suspicious package; security perimeter established & members of the public & media are being moved to safe a distance
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) March 28, 2017
Secret Service locked the press inside the briefing room after evacuating the North lawn. pic.twitter.com/o3VC7yI21P
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) March 28, 2017
Secret Service patrolling the North Lawn. Rumors of a suspicious package. pic.twitter.com/aq7UOxirlv
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) March 28, 2017
Reporters in the West Wing waiting for the lockdown to end. pic.twitter.com/UhT9BwAdom
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) March 28, 2017
A bomb robot is reportedly being used to approach the package:
NEW: Secret Service tells me a bomb robot is being sent to investigate the package
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) March 28, 2017
Roads around the building have also been closed, according to NBC reporter Peter Alexander.
Some members of the White House Press Corps appear to have been locked inside the press room as the Secret Service investigate.
The Secret Service later said it had established a security perimeter and that members of the public and the media were being moved to a safe distance.
It was also reported that snipers could now be observed roaming the property and the North Lawn has been cleared.
The lockdown was instigated just hours before the morning press briefing with Sean Spicer…
Reports are now emerging that a man has been taken into custody by the Secret Service after he approached the White House claiming to have a bomb.
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