According to police, a 19-year-old man has been charged with “making threats” against the President of the United States after driving a truck into a cordon near the White House on Monday night.
Missouri resident Sai Varshith Kandula was arrested just before 10 p.m. while driving the crashed rental truck, the National Parks Police said in a statement.
“The initial elements of the investigation indicate that he deliberately crashed into the Lafayette Park barriers,” said Sergeant Thomas Twiname, police spokesman, outside the White House.
The secret service responsible for personal protection announced that no one had been injured.
According to a video of the incident, a huge Nazi flag was found when the vehicle was searched.
The young man is charged with “bodily harm”, “dangerous driving”, “threatening to kill, kidnapping or injuring the President, the Vice President or a member of his family”, “destroying and trespassing on federal property”.
A page in his name on the social network LinkedIn is dedicated to finding a job in the field of data analysis. The author states that he has no professional experience.
No firearm was found aboard the truck, according to anonymous sources cited by The Washington Post.
The crash happened on the north side of Lafayette Square, about 100 yards from the White House and near several luxury hotels.
According to a local Fox TV station, guests at these hotels said they were ordered to evacuate after the incident. A video published on the Internet by a journalist from this chain shows a robot searching the loading area of the truck.