Fence jumper arrested at White House

From CNN White House Producer Tim McCaughan

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Secret Service arrested a man carrying a medium-sized, black duffel bag who jumped the White House fence Tuesday afternoon. The man had no weapons and no one was injured.

Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin said agents knew the man's identity, but would not release further information before he could be interviewed and a decision on whether to charge him was made. The incident happened at 1:53 p.m. EDT.

Secret Service personnel lead away an unidentified man, center with black shirt, after he jumped the fence at the White House in Washington Tuesday.

Mackin said there were no injuries in the arrest, and authorities found no weapons on the suspect.

According to CNN intern Erin Hueston, who happened to be standing next to the man while waiting for access at the gate, the suspect first threw his duffel bag over the fence, while clutching a white T-shirt with something written on it, and proceeded to climb over the fence. Once on the other side, he picked up his bag and began a slow jog toward the White House, Hueston said.

The man scaled the fence between the northwest gate and the Eisenhower Executive Office building and got as far as a gravel area on the north lawn of the White House grounds known as "pebble beach." That is the area where television networks have their camera positions for live shots.

The Secret Service had a bomb-sniffing dog check the duffel bag. They moved all journalists from the area as they apparently intended a more thorough search. A mesh side pocket on the bag contained a Bible and what appeared to be a medical pill or vitamin bottle.