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At first glance, Pennsylvania didn’t seem much like a scary place for President Barack Obama to visit. It was just a few miles from his home in Washington, D.C., and home to millions of happy Americans. The president was set to give several speeches in the state in 2013, including one at Lackawanna College, about 10 miles (16 km) from the town of Clarks Summit. Lackawanna College certainly didn’t seem like a dangerous destination. However, the only thing standing in the way of an attack on President Obama, even at Lackawanna College in Pennsylvania, is the U.S. Secret Service. It is this same agency that protects the president whether he is at home in the White House, traveling the world, or visiting Lackawanna College. People have attacked presidents for years and years. From physi- cal violence to gunshots, attacks come at a high price. For all the assas- sination attempts, there are thousands of threats that never move past the writing or talking stage. These threats have occurred since George Washington took office in 1789 and keep coming right up to today. Sometimes those threats turn deadly.

Words to Understand apprehend arrest, take into police custody

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