White House Locked Down on Thanksgiving after Man with American Flag Jumps Fence

The White House was on lockdown after a man wearing the American flag jumped the fence while President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their two children were celebrating Thanksgiving. The intruder has since been detained.

Robert Hoback, the spokesperson for the Secret Service, reported that 22-year-old Joseph Caputo had jumped over the fence on the North Lawn at 2:45 p.m. ET. He was immediately stopped by officers, who took him into custody. Caputo is reportedly from Stamford, Connecticut. The Secret Service has not stated why he attempted to get into the White House.

Two CNN photojournalists watched the scene unfold. They reported that the man, who had draped an American flag over his shoulders, was holding a binder with his mouth when he climbed the fence. Once he touched the floor, he was apprehended by officers who had their guns out already. The officers were also accompanied by K-9 units. They confiscated all of the papers and the binder.

"He was walking toward the White House with his hands up," said an eyewitness who was with a group of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Washington Post. "The police told us to move away as quickly as possible. I looked over my shoulder. I was scared."

The White House was then put on lockdown for a few hours. Two hours after the incident, the White House announced that everything was "all clear." The north and south fences, however, were closed for a bit Thursday evening.

Caputo is the third White House intruder this year. Criminal charges are pending.