WASHINGTON -- While it looked like madness outside of former President Barack Obama’s Northwest DC home (a maze of barricades, Secret Service walking around, a wall of news cameras, lights, cables, traffic jams and tourists standing-by), a few Kalorama neighborhood residents described the scene as “normal.”
Reporters and cameras crowded the barriers outside of the Obama's NW DC address after learning one of the several explosive devices intercepted by Secret Service on Wednesday, was addressed to his Kalorama home.
This area is used to security.
President Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, both live just around the corner from the Obamas. There is the Naval Observatory, which is home to Vice President Michael Pence, also nearby.
Even with the heightened level of security and many cameras on Wednesday, the neighborhood stood mostly quiet. A few people came to view the spectacle, others passing by included religious people attending a nearby Mosque.
One of the Mosque members, who preferred to not be identified, told WUSA9, “We feel very bad. I visit this neighborhood all the time, every day – almost every day.”
Nora Whalen said she grew up in the neighborhood and has experienced threats here before.
“It surprises me how coordinated the today was. We’re kind of used to the one-off location being targeted,” Whalen said.
DC Police are on alert. They tweeted a photo of a package Wednesday afternoon, warning people be on the lookout for similar items possibly containing explosive devices.
In the District, Secret Service said in a statement, the package addressed to Obama's home was immediately identified during routine mail screening.
A DC Inspector General would not comment on this specific threat, but said they do have a Dangerous Mail Investigation Program that uses x-ray machines to raise red flags.
“What can you do to stay safer but … you trust law enforcement that they’re doing everything they can do to keep us safe,” said Whalen.
She described living in the neighborhood as “give-and-take.” She said they have to deal with situations like Wednesday due to the high profile neighbors they have. She also appreciates the extra security there because of those same people.
At one point, Secret Service even had a K-9 inspect all the press on scene as they reported on what could have happened just down the street.
