Indian-origin teen held for crashing truck near White House, says 'wanted to kill Biden'

US, May 24: An Indian-origin teenager has been arrested for intentionally crashing a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House.

The 19-year-old has been identified as Sai Varshith Kandula, of Chesterfield, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb. He smashed the truck into the barrier near the north side of Lafayette Square on Monday around 10 pm on Monday, the Secret Service said in a statement. However, no one was injured in the crash.

Kandula left the truck with a Nazi flag and began shouting as Park Police and Secret Service officials approached him, according to two people familiar with the situation. According to the people, when questioned by investigators, Kandula stated that he was there to take over the government and wanted to kill President Joe Biden. 

Kandula was arrested on various charges, including threatening to kill, abduct, or inflict harm on a president, vice president, or member of their family; assault with a dangerous weapon; reckless driving; destruction of government property; and trespassing, according to the US Park Police.

The US President was briefed on the crash Tuesday morning, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “He’s relieved that no one was injured last night,” she added.

The US Secret Service monitors hundreds of people who have made threats to the president, but it's unclear whether Kandula was on their radar at all, or if he had previously threatened the president, triggering the Secret Service's involvement.

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