White House on brief lockdown after suspicious package reported; one taken in custody

The United States Secret Service found a suspicious package found near White House grounds today.

Washington: The Secret Service on Tuesday took a man into custody near the White House after approached a Secret Service officer with a suspicious package near the presidential mansion, a spokeswoman said.

The man was taken into custody at around 10:15 am, the Secret Service said. 

The unidentified man was taken into custody and explosive disposal teams were on the scene, Secret Service spokeswoman Cathy Milhoan told reporters in the White House briefing room.
The package was being inspected, she said.

"We separated the individual and the package. He is now in Secret Service custody," she said.

"We established a security perimeter, so the media was moved in here and East Wing tours were temporarily suspended. All other activity in the White House continues as normal."

Earlier: 

The North Lawn of the White House was on Tuesday evacuated and all journalists were held inside a briefing room as the United States Secret Service investigated a suspicious package found near White House grounds.  

According to a media report, the security came into action after they received the inputs about suspected package from a tweet.  The United States Secret Service are investigating the suspicious package.

The United States Secret Service tweeted to say they were "Investigating the suspicious package near White House grounds."

They said road closures were in effect. 

A number of media persons, who were present inside the building at the time of the alert, have been taken to a safe location. 

After the President's official residence was put on a lockdown, all the media persons were locked inside a room for safety procedure.