White House Fence Jumper -- The Armed Takedown

Armed Secret Service agents swooped in on a homeless man on the White House lawn after he jumped a fence yesterday -- and the whole scene was caught on tape right behind a CNN reporter.

The 41-year-old man -- James Dirk Crudup -- was arrested almost immediately by several Secret Service badasses who moved in with automatic weapons drawn. Crudup was seen crawling around on his belly with a bag nearby as agents approached him.

The scene played out several yards from CNN's John King -- who was seconds away from going live on TV when he noticed the agents with guns drawn.