Swiss Ambassador To U.S. Assaulted Inside D.C. Residence

WASHINGTON, DC — The Swiss ambassador to the United States was assaulted inside his D.C. residence Monday afternoon by an intruder who had jumped the fence to the grounds of the embassy and the ambassador's residence, reports said.

According to court documents posted to Twitter by Scott MacFarlane of WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., a member of the U.S. Secret Service was dispatched to the Swiss ambassador’s residence on Cathedral Avenue in northwest D.C. around 2 p.m. on Monday in response to the intruder. The residence is adjacent to Switzerland’s embassy.

The intruder, identified as Christian David Mandeville of Oregon, had refused to leave the residence when asked by an employee of the embassy, according to the court documents.

In a statement Tuesday, the embassy of Switzerland said the man attempted to gain access to the residence but was denied entry and "subsequently jumped the exterior security fence of the Embassy grounds."

The Secret Service and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department also investigated a suspicious package near the residence on Monday and "determined there was no imminent threat to the safety of the ambassador, staff or embassy," the embassy said in the statement.

When the Secret Service officer entered the residence of Jacques Pitteloud, the Swiss ambassador to the United States, Mandeville attempted to run away, according to the court documents. The ambassador, whose name was not mentioned in the court documents, put his hands out to stop Mandeville, but the Oregon man pushed the ambassador’s arms away.

Mandeville then used his body to try and push his way past the ambassador, who was thrown backwards, according to the court documents.

With the help of other law enforcement officers, the Secret Service officer was able to detain Mandeville. The Secret Service agent said in the court documents that he suffered an abrasion to his forearm during the struggle with Mandeville.

Mandeville faces two charges of assault on a foreign official, assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer and unlawful entry.

Neither the ambassador nor any embassy staff were harmed in this incident, according to the embassy.

"The Embassy of Switzerland thanks the U.S. Secret Service and Metropolitan Police Department for their quick response," the embassy said in its statement.