Either I've been asleep at the switch, or I totally missed this story, or both. On Friday evening, D.C. or Capitol Police (it's not clear in the ABC News story which agency) received reports of shots fired in the vicinity of the White House:
ABC News has learned authorities are increasingly concerned that a man sought in connection with a bizarre shooting incident on the Washington Mall last week may pose a threat to President Obama.
The Secret Service now suspects that a bullet fired in this incident may have hit the White House after a bullet round was found in a White House window, though the round had not yet been conclusively linked to the incident. The round was stopped by ballistic glass behind the historic exterior glass, while an additional round has been found on the exterior of the White House...
And we're just now hearing about this, five days later? Jeez, I remember a recent story about one of Eric Cantor's district offices taking a shot in the window...it was reported nearly immediately...and turned out to be much ado about nothing.
But two bullets are found in the White House subsequent to the Friday evening shooting, and nothing? Cripes, Cheney would have been whisked to his undisclosed location, and would be declaring war on Constitution Ave.
Anyway, I also thought this was an interesting little excerpt from the ABC news report:
Police believe the suspect, 21-year-old Oscar Ramiro Ortega of Idaho, is mentally ill. Ortega has an extensive record, ranging from domestic violence to drug charges. Sources say a police investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting Ortega has a fixation on the White House...
Authorities would later find a car in the area. The suspect had fled, but what police discovered inside the vehicle left them deeply concerned: an assault style rifle and empty shell casings.
Police linked the car to Ortega and have been hunting him ever since...
And, just to add a little spice:
Authorities suspect Ortega has been in the area for weeks, coming back and forth to the Washington Mall. Before the shooting, he was detained by local police at an abandoned house. U.S. Park police say Ortega may have spent time blending in with Occupy D.C. protesters.
Draw your own conclusions on how the U.S. Park Police might know that the suspect might have been "blending in with Occupy D.C." and not, say, blending in with tourists at the Smithsonian Institute -- and why ABC News would find it important to add to the story.
Update: From NBC:
Police took 21-year-old Oscar Ortega into custody at a hotel near Indiana, Pa. Using information provided by the Secret Service, Pennsylvania State Police made the arrest at 12:35 p.m.
Secret Service confirmed on Tuesday morning that two bullets were found on the White House grounds, one of them lodged in ballistic glass behind a historic window.