A man accused of firing two shots at the White House last week has been charged with attempting to assassinate Obama or his staff

A man accused of firing two shots at the White House last week has been charged with attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama or his staff, Haaretz reported.

Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez made his first court appearance before a federal magistrate in Pittsburgh on Thursday, one day after he was arrested at a western Pennsylvania hotel. He 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 said only, "Yes, ma'am" when he was asked if he understood that he would be going back to Washington to face the charge.