WASHINGTON - A man wrapped in the American flag jumped the White House fence Thursday while the president and his family were inside, triggering a lockdown of the presidential house, the U.S.Secret Service said.
The man, Joseph Caputo, was quickly caught and now faces criminal charges.
The intruder draped a flag over himself, put a binder notebook in his teeth, then climbed and went over the north fence onto the White House lawn before immediately being taken into custody by the Secret Service. Officials were surprised how Caputo so easily got over what is described as new “pencil-point” spikes added to the fence earlier this year as a way to stop intruders. Police quickly moved tourists back and cordoned off Pennsylvania Avenue where the White House is situated. The Secret Service and White House security have suffered through a series of embarrassments the last few years and currently are under immense pressure to revise security at the White House following a breach by Omar Jose Gonzalez last year.

Gonzalez evaded various security and reached the first floor of the building before being arrested. The event led to the resignation of Secret Service director Julia Pierson.