White House security alert: Secret service agent was on his phone during intrusion

Описание: A review from the Department of Homeland Security points out how mistakes made by Secret Service Officers actually helped 42-year-old Iraq war veteran Omar Gonzalez intrude into the White House on September 19.

The review has not yet been made public but was obtained by the New York Times.

According to the review, Gonzalez was first spotted by officers on Pennsylvania Avenue but didn’t appear odd until 7:19m when he scaled the fence at a point where the ornamental spikes were missing. He then advanced onto the White House North Lawn, leaving the officers behind.

As the Secret Service officer stationed on the North lawn was talking on his cellphone without monitoring the radio, he failed to detect Gonzales until well after the chase was underway.

Two officers approached Gonzalez with guns drawn, but didn’t shoot as they thought he was not armed. Gonzalez later lost them in the hedges in front of the North Portico. Another officer also followed but came up short.”

Before Gonzalez reached the stairway stairs to the North Portico door, one officer took cover behind a pillar, pointing his gun at Gonzalez but didn’t shoot as he thought the man was unarmed and the wooden doors were locked. Gonzalez was later found carrying a knife.”

The door to the North Portico was unlocked and the alarm was disarmed, letting Gonzalez force himself in with no fanfare, even as one officer was trying to secure the area by physically subduing him twice but failed. After she mistook her flashlight for her baton, she finally pulled out her gun. However Gonzales ignored her.

He then passed the entrance hall and made it into the East Room, but was finally taken down by an officer at reached the doorway to the Green Room.

The review also finds the Secret Service underestimated the potential threat of the intruder, as shown by the investigation of two prior incidents, including his arrest on gun charges in Virginia in July. In that case, a map of Washington DC with a line drawn pointing to the White House was found.

In August, he was stopped near the south fence of the White house with a hatchet in his waistband but was later released when authorities failed to find any other weapons in his car after the search.

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