A review of the White House fence jumper incident conducted by the Department of Homeland Security reveals cracks in the Secret Service's alarm systems.
The internal review, released on Thursday, Nov. 13, investigated the Sept. 19 incident when 42-year old Omar Gonzalez jumped over the fence and made his way to what is believed to be among the most tightly guarded building.
Army veteran Gonzalez was not only able to climb the fence, but he ran across the lawn and went inside the White House via an unlocked door on the north front. Gonzalez was also armed with a pocket knife.
Gonzalez was able to bypass security thanks to a series of "performance, organizational, technical" as well as other lapses on part of the Secret Service. The review disclosed that the radios and alarm systems did not function in a proper manner. Moreover, the intruder was able to jump inside as a Canine Officer did not spot him as he was on his mobile attending to a personal phone call. The Canine Officer, who was inside a van, did not have his radio earpiece on either and had left the second radio inside his locker.
The officer in question took apparently 11 seconds to react and that too post seeing a Uniformed Division Officer rushing toward the White House.
The review also sheds light on why Gonzalez was able to climb the fence swiftly. Apparently, the section chosen by the intruder was missing an ornamental spike. The bushes he was able to make his way through were presumed to be "too thick to be passable" by the Secret Service.
The report also reveals that while three agents had guns pointed toward the interloper at the time of the chase, they did not shoot as no weapon was espied. One of the agents in question was positioned near the North Portico doors, but was unaware of the unfolding scenario because of "unintelligible traffic" over the radio and obstructed view. He too assumed that the North Portico doors were locked and that Gonzalez would be trapped outside.
"By the time he realized the doors were not locked, Gonzalez was inside the White House," notes the report.
Gonzalez was finally seized and has been charged. He was carrying a 3.5-inch blade Spyderco VG-10 knife. Apparently, he also had plenty of ammunition stowed away in a car parked nearby, which included 9mm rounds, rounds for a rifle, and 12-gauge shotgun shells.
The review [pdf] cites staffing scarcity, issues with communication and insufficient training for the failure.
