Police: Man Pushed Through White House Barrier, Said He Needed to Meet Trump

The man was taken for a mental health evaluation hours before his arrest, officials say

A man pushed through a security barrier outside the White House on Tuesday and said he needed to meet President Donald Trump, court filings show.

Wisam Altameemi, 38, was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service after he ignored warnings from agents to back away from security posts near the south entrance to the complex, officials say.

Court filings from police say Altameemi was intent on meeting Trump and intended to jump over a fence. Agents stopped him before he moved a security barrier, but he refused to follow instructions, the filing says.

"I’m sorry, but I have to," Altameemi reportedly said.

An affidavit from investigators said agents twice turned Altameemi away from the White House grounds earlier in the week. In their affidavit, investigators said officers “involuntarily” committed and transported Altameemi for a mental health evaluation Tuesday morning, hours before he was arrested for returning and breaching the security barrier.

Altameemi has pleaded not guilty to an unlawful entry charge in Washington, D.C. Superior Court.

An investigation by the News4 I-Team shows Altameemi is the 24th person prosecuted for breaching security on White House or U.S. Capitol grounds since 2014.

Two of those 24 people were sentenced in September. Neither received prison time for the crimes.

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