Secret Service: Man Lit Jacket on Fire Outside White House

Complex goes on lockdown
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 12, 2019 4:59 PM CDT
Secret Service: Man Lit Jacket on Fire Outside White House
Uniformed Secret Service police officers are viewed on Pennsylvania Avenue as seen from inside the White House North Lawn in Washington, Friday, April 12, 2019. The U.S. Secret Service says it’s responding to a “police/medical incident” in front of the White House.   (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The Secret Service says that a man operating a wheelchair scooter lit his outer jacket on fire on Friday while sitting along Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House. The Secret Service says the event happened at about 3:15pm, the AP reports. Officers immediately responded, extinguished the fire and gave him first aid. The White House was on lockdown as a result of Friday's incident. The Secret Service says the man has been transported to a local hospital with injuries that appeared to not be life-threatening. The agency did not identify the man. Secret Service officers were seen attending to an individual on a stretcher before it was wheeled away. Video also showed multiple vehicles with flashing lights arriving on Pennsylvania Avenue. President Donald Trump was at the White House at the time. (One intruder got inside the White House security perimeter.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X