AP source: Man arrested near White House over drone

ByALICIA CALDWELL Associated Press AP logo
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Uniformed Secret Service agents patrol the top of the White House as seen from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, March 17, 2015.
AP-AP

WASHINGTON -- A federal law enforcement official says a man has been arrested after trying to launch a drone outside the White House fence.

The official said it was unclear if the person intended to fly the aircraft at the executive mansion or whether he was trying to take aerial photos.

The official was not authorized to publicly disclose the details of the incident and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The incident comes nearly four months after a quadcopter drone piloted by an off-duty U.S. intelligence employee landed on the White House lawn. The Secret Service said at the time that the landing appeared to be accidental and not a security threat.

The incident led the agency to focus more attention on drone-related security issues.