White House ends lockdown after arrest of woman who drove car into security barrier

Show Caption Hide Caption White House locked down after car hit security barrier The White House was put on lockdown Friday afternoon when a woman drove into a security gate near the White House complex. She is now in custody and the U.S. Secret Service says there were no injuries.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Secret Service has arrested a woman who authorities say deliberately drove her vehicle into a security barrier near the White House Friday around 3:30 p.m. while President Trump was inside.

The White House was on lockdown for about half an hour. No shots were fired and Trump, who had just held a news conference with Australia Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull, was never in danger, according to the Secret Service.

Turnbull was also in the White House when the lockdown was initiated and left around 4 p.m.

The woman detained by the Secret Service is suspected to have intentionally crashed her vehicle into a barricade along the perimeter of the White House, an official with knowledge of the matter said. The official said the woman has been identified as Jessica Rhea Ford of Tennessee; no charges have yet been filed.

Ford has a history of convictions in Rutherford and Davidson counties in Tennessee on charges ranging from misuse of 911 to trespassing and violation of probation, according to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation records.

During the lockdown, the Secret Service tweeted frequent updates, including that the vehicle “did not breach the security barrier of the White House complex," that the female driver of the vehicle was “immediately apprehended," and that the white vehicle was jammed up tightly against the fence as officers began examining the car.

Here are some of the Secret Service tweets as the situation unfolded:

BREAKING: An individual driving a passenger vehicle struck a security barrier near the White House at 17th & E. — U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 23, 2018

UPDATE: The vehicle did not breach the security barrier of the White House complex. — U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 23, 2018

UPDATE: The female driver of the vehicle was immediately apprehended by Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers. — U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 23, 2018

UPDATE: No law enforcement personnel were injured during the incident involving a vehicle hitting a barrier near the White House. — U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 23, 2018

UPDATE: No shots were fired during the vehicle incident near the White House. — U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) February 23, 2018

Protecting one of the world's most visible has been a constant challenge for the Secret Service.

Last year, the agency enlarged the protective bulwark around the White House complex by closing access to the entire fence-line along the mansion's south lawn in the wake of persistent concerns about intrusions.

In the past three years, according to the agency, there have been about 100 incidents in which people have sought to penetrate the 18-acre White House grounds; 95% of those cases have involved suspects with some history of mental illness or emotional disturbance.

Contributing: Gregory Korte of USA TODAY