Sometimes a prank can go too far. A firecracker exploded in the north lawn of the White House around the same time as when the tragic Navy Yard shooting happened on Monday, September 16, 2013, which has led authorities to question the potential connection between the two events.

While the exact reason behind the firing is not known, the man responsible for setting off the firecracker, Alexander Sahagian, has been apprehended by police. The firecracker incident occurred at 6:30 in the morning only a few miles from the shooting where the fifty-two-year-old Sahagian lighted the firecracker and then threw the soon-to-erupt firecracker over the fence into the north lawn.

Many streets were closed down as a precautionary measure in response to the the firing including one block on Pennsylvania Avenue as well as two blocks on 17th Street NW. The popular Lafayette Park, nestled across from the White House was also closed.

Initial concerns sparked several rumors about guns firing near the White House as a result of the firecracker explosion, however a representative for the Secret Service put these concerns to rest. Ed Donovan of the Secret Service said, “There have not been shots outside the White House.”

It has not been released what type of charges Alexander Sahagian will face as a result of firing the firecracker. However, what is known focuses on the abilities of the authorities involved. The speedy response of the Secret Service members as well as the orders these law officials shouted to tourists and people passing by the location shows how efficient the law enforcement representatives were in being able to handle the situation and contain any potential escalation of danger.

[Image Via Wikimedia Commons And Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Defense]