White House intruder identified as Army veteran who served in Iraq, retired due to disability

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army says the man accused of getting inside the White House after scaling a fence Friday night is a veteran who was awarded a medal for his service in Iraq and retired due to disability.

Omar Gonzalez served from 1997 to 2003, when he was discharged, and then again from 2005 to December 2012, when he retired. The military does not provide details about a soldier’s disability due to privacy considerations.

The 42-year-old from Copperas Cove (kahp-ruhs KOHV’), Texas, is expected to appear in federal court tomorrow to face charges of unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds while carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon — a knife, in this case.

Less than 24 hours after Gonzalez’s arrest, a second man was apprehended after he drove up to a White House gate and refused to leave. Bomb technicians in full gear searched the vehicle and agents briefly shut down nearby streets. The Secret Service identifies the man as 19-year-old Kevin Carr of Shamong, N.J.

There are no indications the two incidents were connected.

%@AP Links

124-w-34-(Shelley Adler, AP correspondent with Congressman Peter King, R-N.Y.)–A Republican Congressman is calling for hearings on the security breach at the White House. AP correspondent Shelley Adler reports. ((cut opens with sound)) (21 Sep 2014)

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125-a-04-(Representative Peter King, R-N.Y., in interview)-“is absolutely inexcusable”-GOP Congressman Peter King says he expects congressional hearings into the incident at the White House. COURTESY: ‘Fox News Sunday’ ((mandatory on-air credit)) (21 Sep 2014)

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126-a-12-(Representative Peter King, R-N.Y., in interview)-“stopped is inexcusable”-GOP Congressman Peter King says the White House intruder should have been stopped right away. COURTESY: ‘Fox News Sunday’ ((mandatory on-air credit)) (21 Sep 2014)

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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