Small drone crashes near White House

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Secret Service says a small drone crashed overnight at the White House complex while the president was in India.

An investigation is underway to determine its origin and identify suspects and their motive.

Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary says the device was a quadcopter and was about 2 feet in diameter. A quadcopter is an unmanned aircraft that is lifted by four propellers.

Leary says the quadcopter was flying at a very low altitude before it crashed on the southeast side of the executive mansion around 3:08 a.m. Monday.

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were in New Delhi and not at the White House.

Leary says in a statement that the White House complex was immediately locked down until the device was examined and cleared.

Obama's press secretary, Josh Earnest, speaking in New Delhi, confirmed the drone crash.

"There is a device that has been recovered by the Secret Service at the White House," Earnest said when asked if a drone was found. "The early indications are that it does not pose any sort of ongoing threat to anybody at the White House."