The man who scaled the White House fence and broke into the executive mansion earlier this month was tackled by an off-duty Secret Service officer, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.
According to the Post, an agent who was leaving for the night after seeing President Barack Obama's family leave the premises by helicopter was walking through the White House when Omar Gonzalez dashed through the front door and into the East Room. Gonzalez, who was armed with a knife, reportedly overpowered another Secret Service agent near the main foyer before he was eventually tackled by the off-duty officer, who had been serving on the Obama daughters' security detail.
Prosecutors said last week that Gonzales had 800 rounds of ammunition in his car, in addition to a machete and two hatchets.
When asked about the latest reports during a Tuesday White House briefing, press secretary Josh Earnest said he could not confirm the details, but urged the Secret Service to release the its investigation of the incident.
On Tuesday, Secret Service Director Julia Pierson was grilled by members of Congress over the incident. She called the intrusion "unacceptable," and acknowledged that the agency's security protocol "was not properly executed."
"I take full responsibility," Pierson said during the House Oversight Committee hearing. "It will never happen again.”
According to Pierson, the White House's front door now locks automatically during security breaches.
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