Contractor arrested outside White House on attempted murder warrant

WASHINGTON - The Secret Service said a White House contractor was arrested outside of the complex after being informed that there was a warrant issued for his arrest in Maryland.

According to a D.C. police report, 30-year-old Martese Edwards was attempting to enter the White House at around 12:02 p.m. Tuesday at the Northwest visitor entrance in order to report for work. After being identified, Edwards was placed under arrest as a fugitive from justice.

“On June 4, 2018, the U.S. Secret Service was notified by the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) that Martese Edwards was the subject of a warrant issued out of Prince Georges County, MD,” the Secret Service said in a statement. “On June 5, 2018, Edwards was promptly arrested by Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers at a checkpoint outside of the White House complex when he was reporting to work as a contractor. Edwards was transported to MPD Second District for processing.”

The Prince George's County Sheriff's Office confirmed to FOX 5 that Edwards has an open warrant for attempted first-degree murder and was dated on May 17.

FOX 5 went to the most recent address listed for Edwards and found his apartment door apparently rammed in. A law enforcement source told FOX 5 that the Secret Service was at the complex recently and the warrant is connected with a shooting at the apartment complex.

A neighbor said she saw Edwards in a violent argument with a woman about a month ago.

“We just heard a loud noise, screaming and just glass shattering in the middle of the parking lot, and we were just like scared and then come to find out the same noise we heard traveled towards my neighbor’s door unfortunately,” said neighbor Catrice Pinkett.

Prince George's County police said the shooting that is connected to Edwards happened on May 3. Then on May 17, detectives identified him as a suspect and a warrant was issued.

Edwards is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.