WASHINGTON, DC — A Brandon, Florida, man who had been reported missing was arrested Saturday at the White House on charges of making a threat against President Donald Trump, according to a release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Roger Hedgpeth II, 25, was reported missing after leaving his home in Brandon Feb. 2 and had not been seen since, authorities said. He is reported to have called a relative Wednesday demanding the return of a gun, which the relative had locked up due to mental health concerns, authorities said.
The release cited a U.S. Secret Service report that Hedgpeth walked up to one of its agents outside the White House and said he was there to assassinate the president. Agents took him into custody, found a knife on him, and transferred him to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, authorities said.
The Secret Service called the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office that day to tell them of the arrest.
Detectives with the sheriff’s office had found activity on Hedgpeth’s credit card in Maryland and West Virginia, even though he has no family in the area, the release says.
Hedgpeth was considered an endangered adult.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister commended Hedgpeth’s relative who spoke up about his “erratic behavior,” adding that the decision likely prevented him from harming others.