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White House partially evacuated after man climbs fence, enters building

WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (KUNA) -- In a major breach of security, a man jumped a fence at the White House on Friday evening, ran across the lawn and entered the presidential residence through the North Portico doors before he was captured, the U.S. Secret Service reported.
Part of the White House was evacuated after the incident, which took place only four minutes after President Barack Obama and his two daughters had departed the White House via helicopter from the South Lawn for a weekend trip to Camp David, Maryland, officials said.
While it is not that unusual for someone to climb the White House fence and be promptly arrested on the lawn, it is virtually unheard of for such trespassers to successfully enter the building itself.
Omar Gonzalez, 42, of Copperas Cove, Texas, was apprehended after making it inside the doors, the Secret Service said. He was then taken to George Washington Medical Center for evaluation.
Gonzalez was known to Secret Service, but an official would not say how or why. He had not previously been arrested by the Secret Service, the official said. (end) rm.ibi