Retired Secret Service Agent Says Child Prevented 2010 Assasination Attempt On President
Â Retired Secret Service agent Leonard Parker, 52, said in an interview with The Virginia Tribune that in 2010 a ten-year-old boy prevented an assassination attempt on President Barack Obama.âIt is one of those things, you just had to be there to believe it, I canât give you his name but he was nicknamed âThe Nutcrackerâ by the President,â Parker told veteran political journalist Clyde Ransdell. âThe President was playing basketball with players of the Duke University basketball team at a public park in Durham, North Carolina during the summer of 2010. I remember everything about that day very vividly.âParker, who was a Secret Service agent in charge of presidential protection detail for over 20 years, says that day was the one that stuck with him the most throughout his entire career.âIt was a gorgeous June afternoon and there were hundreds of people watching the pickup basketball game. IÂ spotted a man acting suspiciously, about fifty yards away. As I casually began to walk toward him,Â it happened. HeÂ reached for a pistol tucked in his waist band, but he was surrounded by children so it was too risky to attempt to take him out. When the child directly in front of him noticed the man had pulled a gun, he reeled back and kicked himÂ squareÂ in the balls. The man then doubled over and dropped his weapon, and we were able to subdue the assailant,â Parker described in detail. âTo be honest, even though my heart was racing, it was one of the funniest things Iâve ever seen.âParker went on to say that the identity of the heroic boy and his father will likely never be disclosed per their request, but said that they remain close friends with President Obama to this day. âOnce a year, the family is invited to the White House for a week to spend time with the Obamas. The boy, now fourteen years old, has become a very good friends with Malia Obama, and I hear they spend a lot of time together,â Parker stated.According to Parker, due to national security reasons, the name of the assailant has never been released. The man remains incarcerated at an unknown location.Â