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Man climbs White House fence, drops backpack on grounds

The person dropped a backpack and was immediately taken into custody on E Street.

WASHINGTON - A man was taken into custody Monday after jumping over a security barrier on the south side of the White House, U.S. Secret Service said.

The man dropped a backpack and was immediately taken into custody on E Street. The package has been declared safe by D.C. police.

Authorities have charged the man with “unlawful entry.”

At this time, officials have closed the Ellipse, the north fence line and E Street, and 17th street from D street to New York Ave.

Jim Tripp, who was on a trip to D.C. from Washington state, gave WUSA9 permission to use cell phone video that captured the moments when officers approached the man and took him man into custody.

WATCH: Witness captures White House barrier jumper

Tripp said he was told by officers to get on the ground and was briefly questioned by officers before he was allowed to exit the perimeter set up by police. A WUSA9 news photographer on the scene confirmed the authenticity of the video based on the eyewitness account.

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