Suspect arrested after U-Haul slams into White House barrier

Authorities in Washington D.C. arrested the driver of a U-Haul that slammed into security barriers near the White House Monday night in what officials suspect was an intentional act.

The white box truck plowed into barriers on the north side of Lafayette Square, just a few hundred feet from the White House, around 10 p.m. A Nazi flag was seized by authorities at the scene of the crash, during which no one was injured.

A law enforcement source told NBC News the driver of the vehicle, who was not identified, made several threatening statements before he was arrested on suspicion of threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on the president, vice president or a family member. He’s also facing charges including assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation of a vehicle, trespassing and destruction of federal property.

There were no weapons or explosives found inside the truck, the official added.

“There were no injuries to any Secret Service or White House personnel and the cause and manner of the crash remain under investigation,” Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service chief of communications, said in a statement Monday night.

In a follow-up tweet, Guglielmi said a preliminary investigation into the crash suggests the “driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers.”

Video shared on social media captured the moments after the vehicle jumped the curb and smashed into railings outside the White House. Images taken by Reuters also show a bright red Nazi flag emblazoned with a swastika on the street near the vehicle, among other debris, while authorities investigate.

The nearby Hay Adams hotel was evacuated at the request of the Secret Service, according to NBC, while some roads and pedestrian walkways around the park were also closed.

The FBI’s National Capital Response Squad is assisting Park Police and the Secret Service in its investigation.