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Kentucky man dressed as Pikachu jumps White House barrier, Secret Service says

October 17, 2017 at 7:10 p.m. EDT

A Kentucky man dressed as the Pokemon character Pikachu jumped a concrete barrier outside the White House Tuesday morning and was quickly taken into custody, according to the Secret Service and a police report.

During the incident, D.C. police said the person — dressed as the short, chubby yellow cartoon — dropped a backpack near the southern fence along E Street Northwest. Police and fire departments were called to the scene; police and the Secret Service said the backpack contained nothing hazardous.

Curtis Combs, 36, of Somerset, Kentucky, was charged with unlawful entry.

The incident occurred about 9:45 a.m. along E Street, near the Ellipse. The Secret Service said the person who jumped the barrier was near an outer perimeter fence. He stated to police he was unarmed and started climbing the fence, the police report says. The fence is marked by a sign: “Restricted Area Do Not Enter.”

Authorities did not describe a motive.