White House Shooter Charged With Attempted Assassination

Update, 3:00 p.m.: An Idaho man charged with firing two shots at the White House last week has been charged with attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama or his staff, according to the Associated Press.

Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, will be taken back from a federal court in Pittsburgh to face the charges in Washington, D.C.

Ortega will remain in federal custody at least until a magistrate in Washington can determine if he should remain jailed until his trial on the charge, which carries up to life in prison.

The 21-year-old Ortega said only, "Yes, ma'am" when he was asked if he understood that he would be going back to Washington to face the charges. He could face up to life in prison if he is convicted on these charges.

Original Story: Secret service agents in Pittsburgh, Pa. have captured the man wanted for questioning in connection with a shooting near the White House Nov. 11. Oscar Ramiro Orteg-Hernandez, 21, has an arrest record in three states on top of this latest brush with the law. 

Ortega-Hernandez, whose permanent has not been identified, was taken into custody just after 12:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon at a hotel located about an hour outside of Pittsburgh.

 Ortega-Hernandez is believed to have been living in the Washington area, but he has ties to Idaho, and a criminal record in Texas, Utah, and Idaho, according to a Washington Post report. 

Family members in Idaho Falls, Idaho had reported the young man missing Oct. 31, according to reports.

Authorities suspect Ortega-Hernandez of a shooting near the White House last Friday night. The following Tuesday, Secret Service discovered two bullets on the White House grounds. One of the bullets cracked a second story window outside of the first family's living area, on the same level as the Lincoln bedroom. 

Bulletproof glass behind the exterior window prevented the bullet from entering the residence. The President was away on travel during the incident.

 Authorities have not confirmed that the bullets are indeed connected to the shooting. However, witnesses reported hearing shots and seeing two speeding vehicles in the vicinty at the time the shooting occurred. Police found one of the vehicles -- which was linked to Ortega -- abandoned with a weapon inside.

Officials haven't speculated on what motivated Hernandez to target the executive mansion. Hernandez will appear in a Pennsylvania court today for an extradition hearing before being returned to D.C., according to WTOP.