A Missouri man of Indian origin has been arrested by police after he deliberately rammed a U-Haul truck into a security fence at a park across from the White House. He was identified as Sai Varshith Kandula, 19, of Chesterfield, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.
He crashed into the barrier close to the north side of Lafayette Square on Monday night at 10 p.m., according to a statement from the Secret Service. He was apprehended on the scene and no injuries were reported.
He rented the vehicle in Herndon, Virginia and had a valid contract in his own name. As per U-Haul, a moving truck, trailer and self-storage rental company based in Phoenix, one must be 18 to hire a truck, and there were no issues with his rental history that would have stopped the contract from being signed.
🚨🚨🚨BREAKING: A 19-year-old from Missouri has been arrested on multiple charges including threatening to kill or harm the president or vice president, after crashing into barriers near the White House.
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) May 23, 2023
The driver made threatening statements about the White House at the scene… pic.twitter.com/cAAZZxGWsZ
After the crash, the perpetrator exited the truck with a Nazi flag and started shouting as Park Police and Secret Service officers approached him. He was charged with threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice-president and their families.
He professed admiration for the Nazis and a desire to enter the White House to kill the president. He wanted to seize power and rule the country. These specifics were mentioned in an affidavit that a Secret Service agent provided.
The culprit told the authorities that the Nazi flag he had displayed at the site was one he had ordered online because he believed the Nazis had a long and illustrious history. He apparently showed appreciation for their one-world government, Eugenics (planned breeding), and totalitarian ways. Additionally, he stated that he idolised Adolf Hitler and considered him to be a strong leader.
“Preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square,” proclaimed Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service. The investigators are looking into every facet of the issue, which includes his prior neo-Nazi ties and mental health issues.
U.S. Park Police would file charges with investigative support from the Secret Service.
Vehicle collision at Lafayette Square: Roadways and pedestrian walkways are closed as teams investigate. pic.twitter.com/4QqNyRoa0T
— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) May 23, 2023
Chris Zaboji (25) a witness from Washington said that the motorist struck the barrier at least twice. He was wrapping off a run near Lafayette Square when he heard the automobile striking the barrier, which caused a loud boom.
He remarked that before hearing approaching sirens, he pulled out his phone and recorded the second time the vehicle slammed into the barrier. “When the van backed up and rammed it again, I decided I wanted to get out of there,” he added.
The Secret Service and Park Police informed Joe Biden about the occurrence on Tuesday morning. “He’s relieved that no one was injured last night,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Kandula flew from St. Louis, Missouri, to Dulles, and then leased a U-Haul truck, and drove it straight to the White House. At the time of the incident, President Biden was inside the White House. No explosives or weapons were found in the truck or with Kandula, who said that he had planned the ‘attack’ for six months.
Kandula graduated from Marquette Senior High School, located in Chesterfield, Missouri, in 2022. According to a LinkedIn page that purportedly belongs to Kandula, his “career pursuit” is dedicated in the field of data analytics and has completed coursework and skills certifications.
FBI agents searched his house in the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield on Tuesday after the incident. According to reports, his friend found it difficult to belive that a ‘chill’ guy like him tried to attack the White House armed with an empty truck and a Nazi flag. There was no record regarding him at the local police station, which means he was never named in any police case.
The US Secret Service keeps track of hundreds of individuals who have sent threats to the president, but it’s unclear whether Sai Varshith Kandulawas previously on their radar or whether he had ever warned the former in the past, which would have brought the Secret Service into the situation.
Multiple phone lines listed under his surname in public records were inactive, there was no counsel named for him in court documents, and attempts to get in touch with his family members who could speak on his behalf on Tuesday were unsuccessful. People reported as being connected to him at a residence in Missouri also declined to talk to the media.
Lafayette Square, which has the greatest public view of the White House, has long been one of the most well-known locations for protests in the US. In the midst of widespread protests against policing following the assassination of George Floyd in Minneapolis, federal officials walled off the area, forcing the park to close for over a year. However, it reopened in May 2021.
