Secret Service responds to suspicious vehicle near White House staff building
An abandoned vehicle caused a security alert outside the White House with US Secret Services closing most of the surrounding area to traffic and pedestrians.
The suspicious vehicle was found near the New Executive Office building on Wednesday morning. Several emergency vehicles responded to the incident.
Secret Services tweeted at 5:24am that a suspicious automobile had been identified near 17th St. NW, and that the building was being evacuated. Agents began cordoning off the area to set up a secure perimeter and reroute traffic.
ALERT: Secret Service Agents and Officers are responding to a suspicious vehicle near 17th street NW. New Executive Office Building is being evacuated. Road closures are being established and traffic will be impacted.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 21, 2018
Services later tweeted that traffic had been prevented from using 17th St. from G to H around 5:27am.
UPDATE: Vehicle traffic has been closed on 17th from 'G' to 'H' street.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 21, 2018
Explosive Ordinance Detection unit finally cleared the vehicle at 6:22am and subsequent road closures were lifted, with the exception of Pennsylvania Avenue and Lafayette Park.
UPDATE #2: Explosive Ordnance Detection personnel have cleared the suspicious vehicle. Vehicle road closures have been lifted. Pennsylvania Avenue and Lafayette Park remain closed to pedestrians.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 21, 2018
FINAL UPDATE: Pennsylvania Avenue and Lafayette Park have reopened to the public.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 21, 2018
