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Man with gun in pickup parked near White House asked officer for information on Oval Office, authorities say

A Texas man with a handgun and ammunition in his pickup truck was arrested near White House grounds Friday after telling an officer "he needed information about the Oval Office," court documents show. Macias Santiago, 37, from Midland, was parked at a meter when he asked an officer in full uniform on a bicycle if he could park there, then added the remark about Oval Office information, the documents say.

The officer then noticed a holster mounted under the center dash of the pickup and asked Santiago if he had a gun, and Santiago nodded "yes," according to the documents.

A search of the vehicle yielded a working unlicensed .40 caliber pistol, two fully loaded 8 round magazines and an opened box of 79 rounds of ammunition, according to court documents.

Santiago was arrested for carrying a pistol without a license, unlawful possession of a firearm, unregistered ammunition and unlawful transport of a firearm, reports CBS Washington affiliate WUSA-TV.

Security barriers started to come down and bridges began slowly reopening hours after President Biden walked the streets of Washington D.C. following his inauguration ceremony on Wednesday. 

Most security will still be in place around the Capitol and White House over the coming days and weeks. Some 5,000 National Guard troops will be in D.C. until at least mid-March, according to officials.

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