Unarmed Arkansan scales fence outside White House

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Dec 5, 2005 | by Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- A man from Arkansas scaled the fence surrounding the White House Sunday while President Bush was inside and was immediately captured by Secret Service officers.

Secret Service spokesman Jonathan Cherry identified the jumper as Shawn A. Cox. Cherry said Cox was being charged with unlawful entry and was expected to appear Monday in U.S. District Court.

Cox has previously come to the attention of the Secret Service, Cherry said, but he would not provide details.

Cherry said he did not know where Cox was from in Arkansas or why he wanted to get on the White House grounds. He did not have a weapon, Cherry said.

Bush was home when Cox climbed the fence on the northeast side of the property around lunchtime. Uniformed Secret Service officers stood by with guns drawn while an agent escorted Cox to a guard station. Cox was wearing a sweatshirt, he was unshaven and his pants were wet and dirty from where he was brought to the ground. He did not answer a journalist's question about why he jumped the fence.