No está claro qué pasó, pero alguien acaba de chocar contra un letrero en el extremo norte del Parque Lafayette Square y luego se peleó con el Servicio Secreto y la Guardia Nacional cuando salió de su auto,
reported Martin Austermuhle of The Washington Sun.
Police arrested two people on Monday, November 9, 2026, following a vehicle collision and a security breach near Lafayette Square. The incidents occurred near the intersection of 16th and H Streets NW, prompting a temporary security lockdown of the White House perimeter.
The driver exited the vehicle and engaged in a physical altercation with U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and National Guard members. A spokesperson for the Secret Service stated that just before 10:00 a.m., agents arrived at the north zone of the park where the car had hit the sidewalk.
The vehicle remained more than one block away from the White House gates, and at no point did it approach the direct vicinity of the presidential residence.
The USSS activated a preventive perimeter closure, blocking surrounding streets as a precaution. During the response, a second individual was detained after jumping a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park, according to Yahoo.
The lockdown also affected members of the press. Jennifer Jacobs of CBS reported that she was inside the building during a security closure while an incident appeared to be occurring in Lafayette Square. A USSS official instructed journalists to stay inside the building.
The Secret Service temporarily moved the press to the White House press room before allowing them to exit. The security lockdown was lifted around 11 a.m., as reported by the White House press pool via 7News.
Authorities have not confirmed if the crash was intentional or the result of a loss of vehicle control, nor have they provided a motive.
These arrests follow a separate incident on the preceding Thursday, when authorities detained an illegal immigrant from Venezuela in front of the White House. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that agents approached a suspect in a vehicle parked on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., after observing suspicious behavior.
The suspect, identified as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, had entered the country illegally via the Texas border in March 2024 and was later released during the Biden administration. According to DHS, Chrinos told agents he heard voices in his head instructing him to go to the capital to kill Trump.
Upon searching the vehicle, which was reported stolen, agents found three weapons—an AR-15 style rifle and two pistols—along with dozens of cartridges. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since filed a detainer for Chrinos with the U.S. Marshals Service.
Authorities are currently investigating both the vehicle collision and the person who breached the barricade. The identity of the driver involved in Monday’s crash has not been officially released.
The Secret Service stated that such incidents reflect the increasing threat posed by armed individuals who are atraídos por el complejo de la Casa Blanca
.
Earlier coverage: Venezuelan National Arrested Near White House With Guns and Ammo