Sai Varshith Kandula told authorities that he admires Nazis and wanted to "seize power" from the government and "kill the president" if that’s what he has to do.
Sai Varshith Kandula. (Twitter)
A teenager of Indian origin was arrested on Tuesday, 23 May, after he rammed a rented truck into the security bollards at Lafayette Square’s 16th Street, a block away from the White House in Washington, DC.
According to the US Park Police, Sai Varshith Kandula smashed the truck into the security barriers around 9.40 pm on Monday, 22 May.
While there were no injuries or ongoing danger, investigators reportedly found a Nazi swastika flag in the truck.
Kandula reportedly told authorities that he admired Nazis and wanted to “seize power” from the government and would “kill the President” (Joe Biden) “if that’s what he has to do”, according to court documents.
The police said that the 19-year-old Sai Varshith Kandula from Chesterfield in Missouri intentionally crashed the U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across the White House.
Kandula reportedly told the Secret Service that he had flown from St. Louis (a city in Missouri) to Dulles International Airport on a one-way ticket that night.
He wanted to “get to the White House, seize power, and be put in charge of the nation”, revealed a Secret Service officer’s affidavit.
Kandula also informed the officers that the flag he presented at the scene was a swastika, which he bought online.
He also cited his belief in the “great history” of Nazis and allegedly expressed admiration for their “authoritarian nature, eugenics, and one-world order”.
Kandula, who was a student of Marquette Senior High School, also admitted to looking up to Adolf Hitler, as he considered him to be “a strong leader”.
The US Park Police have registered a case against Kandula for assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, threatening to harm, kidnap and kill the President, vice president, or family member, destruction of federal property, and trespassing.
There were no explosives or weapons found in the truck or with Kandula, who had rented the U-Haul in Herndon, Virginia.
As per reports, rental firm U-Haul claimed that Kandula had a valid contract.
It added that people can rent a truck from U-Haul from the age of 18. There were also no red flags on his rental record that could have prevented the contract to be issued.
Nearby hotels, such as the Hay Adams located approximately 236 m from the White House, were reportedly evacuated as a precautionary measure.
No injuries or causalities were reported as a result of the incident.
The police in Chesterfield have no records of any interaction with Kandula or calls for service to the family home, the police said.
Meanwhile, Kandula appeared in the Washington, DC, Superior Court on 23 May and is expected to make an initial appearance in the Federal Court on Wednesday afternoon.
The truck has been deemed safe by @DCPoliceDept & preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square. Charges will be filed by the United States Park Police with investigative support from the #SecretService.
— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) May 23, 2023
His LinkedIn profile mentioned Kandula’s dedication to the field of data analytics.
“I am currently skilled in Python, and Java as my primary sources of coding languages. I am currently certified in Google, and IBM as a data analyst, and have completed courses which certify my skills in that field,” Kandula noted.
Seeking a data analyst job, Kandula hoped to work with big companies.
“Currently do not have any job experience, since this is why I am actively searching for jobs in order for me to apply my skills when I do get a job in order to build experience in a company, although I learned, and taken multiple credential courses about programming,” explained.
Kandula also said he has been learning coding for about five years.
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