WASHINGTON (UPI) -- A man wrapped in the American flag jumped the White House fence Thursday while the president and his family were inside celebrating Thanksgiving.

Joseph Caputo draped a flag over himself, put a binder notebook in his teeth, then climbed and went over the north fence onto the White House lawn about 2:45 p.m. Thursday before immediately being taken into custody by the Secret Service.

Caputo's age, home town or reason for jumping the fence are not known. It is still unclear how Caputo so easily got over what is described as new "pencil-point" spikes added to the fence earlier this year as a way to stop intruders.

Witnesses were stunned by the event.

Vanessa Pena, a Capitol Hill intern visiting the White House with her sister, saw Caputo take his sweatshirt off and wrap himself in the flag. Pena said he took a deep breath and said ," 'All right, let's do this.' "

Caputo then jumped over one of the barricades and climbed the fence, Pena said. "Right when he landed, he threw his arms in the air and went to his knees."

Amar Marwaha, visiting from London, told NBC News4 in Washington, "Casually, I'm just there taking pictures and I see a ninja coming through, climbing."

A Jehovah's Witness distributing literature near the fence who requested anonymity, said "police told us to move away as quickly as possible. I looked over my shoulder. I was scared."

Police quickly moved tourists back and cordoned off Pennsylvania Avenue until 6:30 p.m.

The Secret Service and White House security have suffered through a series of embarrassments the last few years and currently are under immense pressure to revise security at the White House following a breach by Omar Jose Gonzalez last year. Gonzalez evaded various security and reached the first floor of the building before being arrested. The event led to the resignation of Secret Service director Julia Pierson.

Copyright 2015 by United Press International