A man who reportedly came to Washington to kill “all white police” at the White House was taken into custody Monday across the street from the heavily guarded compound, the Secret Service said.
According to the Secret Service, Michael Arega, of Dallas, was found about 4:05 p.m. on the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue, near Lafayette Square. He was arrested and taken to a D.C. police station. Charges “are pending, the Secret Service said Monday evening.
It was not clear whether the man was armed.
The Secret Service said it was notified about 2:55 p.m. to be on the lookout for Arega, and began searching for him.
The president is on a trip to Asia and is not in the White House.
A spokesman for the Montgomery County police said they were told by the man’s former wife his Facebook page said he was going to Washington with the intention of killing all white police at the White House. Officer Rick Goodale, the spokesman, said county police understood the man to be 37.
Goodale said Facebook indicated that the man was staying at a motel in Silver Spring. Police found his room there empty, and notified the Secret Service, Goodale said.
