An Indian-origin teenager has been arrested for driving a stolen vehicle and crashing into security barriers outside the White House in Washington DC. The teen reportedly told secret service agents he wanted to “kill President Joe Biden.”
The incident occurred on Saturday, April 24, at around 11 pm local time, when a blue Honda Accord sped towards the security barriers outside the presidential residence. The vehicle was immediately intercepted by Secret Service personnel, and three occupants were taken into custody.
According to an affidavit, the 17-year-old driver claimed that he had “driven to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW for the purpose of killing President Joe Biden” and told officers that he had taken a stolen vehicle to travel to the White House. The affidavit states that the teen also admitted to smoking marijuana prior to the incident.
The arrest took place following a nationwide manhunt that was launched after the stolen vehicle was spotted by an off-duty Metropolitan Police Officer in Maryland on Friday night. The two other passengers in the vehicle were later identified as a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy.
The Secret Service is still investigating the incident, and the three occupants remain in custody. If convicted, the driver could reportedly face up to five years in jail.