2014 White House Intrusion

The 2014 White House intrusion occurred on September 19, 2014, when Omar J. Gonzalez, an Iraq War veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, jumped over the White House's fence and entered the building's front door, overpowered a female security officer, was stopped by another who was off-duty, then later by multiple security officers, and arrested. He was found to have a small knife in his pocket, and stated that the "atmosphere was collapsing" and he needed to tell the president so that he could alert the public. President Barack Obama and his family were not home at the time of the incident. As a result of this incident and other security breaches at the White House, the then-director of the United States Secret Service, Julia Pierson, resigned from her position on October 1, 2014.

Gonzalez was indicted for entering a restricted building while armed with a knife. He was also charged with two violations of local laws: carrying a weapon outside a home or business, and ammunition possession. In March 2015, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to two felonies: "entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds while carrying a deadly weapon", and "assaulting a federal officer". In June 2015 he was sentenced to 17 months in prison, to be followed by three years' probation.

Background

Omar J. Gonzalez was born in Puerto Rico. His father was a Korean War veteran. He enlisted in the US Army in July 1997 when he was 25, and discharged in 2003 after completing his six-year service period. Gonzalez re-enlisted in July 2005, and was deployed to the Iraq War from October 2006 until January 2008. Gonzalez received several medals for marksmanship and conduct during his service. He married Samantha Bell in 2006; however, they separated in 2010 and were divorced in July 2014. According to Bell, after returning from Iraq, Gonzalez carried a handgun on his hip at all times, and also kept several rifles and shotguns behind the doors in their house.

Gonzalez retired from the army due to a disability in December 2012. He wore a back brace and complained of pain in his foot, though friends stated he never disclosed the nature of his injury. A family member said he had been injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq and had been prescribed both antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication, though he was suspected to have since ceased taking the medication. Gonzalez's former step-son said that Gonzalez was "a very good guy" who was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to a neighbour he used a cane and was taking "very strong medication".

Since February 2013, he had been receiving monthly disability payments of $1,652, though he had not sought treatment at any VA Medical Center facility. Gonzalez lived in Cooperas Cove, near Fort Hood, Texas, until a few weeks before the incident. Neighbours described him as "friendly and big-hearted", but stated that in the months before he left the town, his behaviour had become paranoid, and unpredictable. Believing that someone would break into his home, Gonzalez started carrying a gun when walking his dogs, and installed extra security at his house, also choosing to leave his Christmas lights up as they illuminated his property. He told a neighbour that children made him nervous, because he had seen children with bombs strapped to them during the war. When a friend asked him why he had not been answering his cell phone, Gonzales explained that he had placed it in the microwave; he thought the government was trying to bug his house. He lived without electricity in the weeks before he left the town to move to a campground. In February 2013, Gonzalez called the police to report a burglary. When police arrived at his house they found him patrolling his front yard with an assault rifle, handgun and a knife. Gonzalez told police there were cameras and listening devices in his house that were secretly recording him.

On July 19, 2014, police in Southwest Virginia received calls regarding a reckless driver, and then observed a Ford Bronco travelling at high speed. Gonzalez initially tried to flee after troopers tried to make him pull over; he drove his vehicle off the road into a highway median. After searching his vehicle, police found a sawed-off shotgun, two rifles and four handguns, as well as ammunition and a tomahawk. They also found a map of Washington, D.C. with a circle drawn around the White House. Gonzalez was arrested for eluding police and possessing a sawed-off shotgun. He said he failed to stop because he had an "Iraqi moment": a "flashback" that was triggered by the lights and sirens of the police car. Virginian police informed both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Secret Service about the arrest. Secret Service agents subsequently interviewed Gonzalez though he was deemed not to be a threat. On August 25, Secret Service agents approached Gonzalez at the White House fence after noticing a small hatchet in his waistband. Agents searched his car and found two dogs, two more hatchets, camping equipment, and empty gun cases, though no guns or ammunition. Secret Service agents interviewed Gonzalez again; they were aware that he had been interviewed by other agents the previous month. He was still deemed to not be a threat.

Incident

At approximately 7:20 pm on Friday, September 19, 2014, Gonzalez scaled the iron perimeter fence of the White House. Several agents pursued him, as he ran directly towards the North Portico doors, which were unlocked. President Barack Obama and his daughters had just left the White House and were heading to Camp David at the time of the incident. Michelle Obama was also not home, having travelled to the retreat earlier. Agents stated they chose not to shoot at Gonzalez as he did not have a weapon in his hands, and was not wearing clothing that could conceal a significant amount of explosives; the possibility of accidentally hitting civilians beyond the fence was also cited. A senior official stated: "A lot of people want to judge the Secret Service for not shooting, but number of things have to be considered in this situation, including whether or not the principal is in the residence" adding, "given what's emerged about onzalez's mental healthsince the arrest, maybe we'll look back and say the Secret Service played a role in saving his life."

The Secret Service initially reported that Gonzalez had been stopped at the entrance; however, it was later revealed that he made it farther inside. It was also revealed that an alarm box near the entrance, which was designed to alert guards inside of a trespasser, had been disabled at the request of the usher's office on the grounds that it was "disruptive"; an agent told ''The Washington Post'' that the boxes frequently malfunctioned, sounding the alarm when there was no intruder.

Gonzalez then overpowered a female Secret Service agent and ran into the East Room, where he was tackled by an off-duty agent who was in the process of leaving for the night. He was arrested and taken to George Washington University Hospital after complaining of chest pains. A Spyderco folding knife with a 3½-inch serrated blade was found in his pocket; Gonzalez's former step-son stated that Gonzalez always carried the knife with him. According to an agent, while he was being arrested Gonzalez stated that the "atmosphere was collapsing", and that he needed to tell the president so that he could alert the public. The incident resulted in a "rare evacuation" of a large portion of the White House; Secret Service officers escorted staff and journalists out a side door. Media and staff were allowed to return some time later though a partial lockdown of the northwest side of the building continued for several hours.

After he was arrested, Gonzalez gave permission for his vehicle, parked nearby, to be searched. Agents recovered 800 rounds of ammunition, two hatchets, and a machete from the car. Gonzalez was ordered to be held without bond until a detention hearing on October 1. Less than 24 hours later another man was arrested after driving to a White House gate and refusing to leave. There was no evidence to suggest the two incidents were related.

Response

On September 22 Jeh Johnson, then United States Secretary of Homeland Security, released a statement urging the public "not to rush to judgement" over the incident, and not to "second-guess the judgement of security officers who only had seconds to act". White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest

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