Summary: An unmanned aircraft crashed onto White House grounds early Monday morning, triggering a lockdown of the property as Secret Service agents swept the area.
A drone crashed onto the grounds of the White House early Monday morning, CNN reports. The U.S. Secret Service is currently interviewing a “person of interest” supposedly involved in the incident as part of its investigation into the event.
Just after 3:00 a.m., an officer located on the southern end of the White House grounds noticed the drone flying above the property. It was coasting low to the ground and eventually crashed on the southeast side of the property. The drone is reported to be a “quadcopter” that is two feet in width. According to Wikipedia, quadcopters can be flown both indoors and outdoors.
Upon receiving notification about the drone, the Secret Service locked the White House down. Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary said, “An investigation is underway to determine the origin of this commercially available device, motive, and to identify suspects. As additional information becomes available we will update our statement.”
Google announced that drone delivery service would be available in less than a decade.
According to law enforcement, the drone appears to be a “recreational” model. The owner of the drone actually called officials after reports of the drone began popping up on the news. According to the New York Times, a government employee owned the drone and accidentally flew it over the White House.
On Monday, the Secret Service was busy examining the grounds of the White House in case any other items were on the premises.
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President Barack Obama and the first lady are currently traveling in India.
Although flying drones is illegal in Washington, D.C., there have been incidents in the past involving the airborne devices. On July 3, the Secret Service detained a person who was operating a quadcopter in President’s Park, located one block from the South Lawn of the White House. In October, a drone was seen flying over Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C.
Drones have become a hot topic in the news lately, and many have argued as to how their use should be regulated. An executive even brought one of the flying devices inside a committee room on Capitol Hill during a House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing on commercial drone use. The drone actually crashed during the presentation, but it was not destroyed.
It’s been a dramatic year for the Secret Service. Last year, an intruder jumped the fence of the White House grounds and ran into the White House through an unlocked door, nearly making it to the doors that lead to the Obamas’ sleeping quarters. Due to the incident, the director of the Secret Service resigned, and other officials were reassigned.
Last year, a Department of Homeland Security report noted that the department was worked “beyond its limits.”
Source: CNN
Photo credit: NBC News