Woman with gun outside White House is arrested by Secret Service officers

[mfcorey1]

A Michigan woman was arrested by Secret Service officers after she was seen walking along the White House’s north fence with a handgun at about 8 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Secret Service plainclothes officers noticed a woman with a holster near Pennsylvania Avenue around the perimeter of the fence and notified uniform division officers, who then arrested her for having an unregistered 9 mm handgun in her holster, said Ed Donovan, the spokesman for the Secret Service.

The woman, whom authorities identified as April Lenhart, 23, was accompanied by another person, who was not arrested and had not been identified by the Secret Service late Thursday.

Donovan said Lenhart was not cooperating in her interview and that it was hard to know what her intentions were.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/woman-with-gun-outside-white-house-is-arrested-by-secret-service-officers/2014/11/20/d3f950e6-7130-11e4-ad12-3734c461eab6_story.html

[merrily]

1. I sometimes worry that publicizing these stories inspires copy cats.

Before that earlier story, I never would have imagined that a stranger could reach the Oval Office. I don't aspire to that. For those who do, though, was that story good news or bad news?

[IADEMO2004]

2. I think the Secret Service could use a couple stories in the win column.

No doubt they will get called our on why you can't walk around outside the White House fence wearing a pistol.

[merrily]

3. Is it about the Secret Service winning some public relations points?

No doubt they will get called our on why you can't walk around outside the White House fence wearing a pistol.

So?

These days, everybody gets called on anything and everything by somebody or other. We shouldn't let that affect how we behave. We just have to do what is right, apart from worrying about criticism.

[IADEMO2004]

5. No. It's not about the Secret Service winning some public relations points.

Secret service has had a long spell of bad press and I think finding someone with a gun on their hip and checking them out is good and necessary. I welcome news that they did their job.

I commented "No doubt they will get called out on why you can't walk around outside the White House fence wearing a pistol." because I believe Secret Service will be criticized by 2nd amendment crowd for keeping the president safe.

[aikoaiko]

7. If she had a permit and registered the firearm I might quibble...

... but she didn't and was breaking the law in DC regardless of the address.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Michigan Woman Protesting Immigration Plan Arrested Outside Of White House With Gun

A Flint-area woman is facing charges after Secret Service agents caught her outside the White House with a gun.

April Lenhart, of Mount Morris, was taking part in a demonstration Thursday night as President Barack Obama addressed the nation on immigration, announcing plans to shield as many as 5 million immigrants from deportation.

The 23-year-old woman was part of a group protesting along the north fence line of the White House complex when she was spotted by plainclothes agents.

“Secret Service noticed she had a gun in a holster attached to her hip,” said WWJ Legal Analyst Charlie Langton. “She was taken in for questioning and arrested when it was found out that she did not have a license to carry that firearm.”

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2014/11/21/michigan-woman-arrested-outside-of-white-house-with-gun/

so we're looking at a Tea Party loon, here.

[Skidmore]

6. I heard that story earlier today.

I'm very worried about this President. The more he is out there trying to get the work done in stark relief to the obstruction and hatred of the elected GOPers, the more he is at risk.

[nichomachus]

8. If you see someone in public carrying a gun

Assume they are there to kill people and you should take appropriate action. Failing to do that could make you a victim.

Never assume that the person is benign. That's how people die.

Leave the scene ASAP and call the police. Let them sort it out.