WASHINGTON — A man was taken into custody and later hospitalized for mental-health observation after he took off his clothes and began a jog a few blocks from the White House.
The man was seen taking off his clothes Wednesday evening about 5 p.m. He left the clothes near 15th and E streets, at the northeast corner of the Ellipse, the green space south of the White House.
Secret Service spokesman Darrin Blackford said the man’s run lasted less than a minute before he was apprehended. The president was at home at the time. But Blackford says the man, who left his clothing in a duffel bag, did not make any threats. His bag was declared suspicious, but its contents were quickly found to be harmless.
Temperatures at the time of the man’s run were about 35 degrees.