By Emily Griesenbeck, Staff writer
On October 3rd, 2014, 42 year-old Omar Jose Gonzalez scaled the fence of the White House, ran across the lawn, and into the North Wing of the White House before being apprehended by Secret Service. In his car, Mr. Gonzalez had eight hundred rounds of ammunition, two hatchets and a machete. He was previously arrested in July of this year and when his car was searched, officers found a vast array of guns, some with scopes and bipods (like those a sniper would use), and a map of Washington D.C. with a line drawn to the White House. Luckily, the President and his family were not in when Mr. Gonzalez ran through the White House grounds. Gonzalez, a US military veteran who fought in the Iraq War, is facing charges of unlawful entering and carrying a deadly weapon. Immediately following the incident, the Secret Service increased surveillance around the fence’s perimeter and changed procedures for making sure the White House entrances were secure.