A man was fatally shot by US Secret Service officers after opening fire on a security checkpoint near the White House, with a bystander also wounded in the gunfire.
The incident occurred shortly after 6 PM on Saturday (22:00 GMT) when the suspect approached a Secret Service checkpoint at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. He reportedly pulled a weapon from his bag and began shooting at the officers stationed there.
The Secret Service, the federal agency tasked with protecting the president, confirmed the sequence of events in an official statement. A preliminary investigation suggested the suspect had concealed his weapon in a bag before drawing it at the checkpoint.
Agents returned fire, striking the man, who was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
A bystander was also injured during the shooting; however, authorities stated it was unclear whether they were hit by the suspect’s initial gunfire or during the subsequent exchange.
President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time but was unharmed. The White House was immediately placed under lockdown.
No Secret Service personnel sustained injuries.
Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin stated he was closely monitoring the situation and would issue a statement soon. On X, Mullin remarked, “Tonight’s shooting is a reminder of the dangers our law enforcement officers face every day.”
Republicans in the House of Representatives posted on X to confirm Trump’s safety, while the White House itself did not issue an immediate statement regarding the president’s condition.
Steve Scalise, the Republican House Majority Leader, expressed his thoughts for the president on X, adding, “We live in dangerous times.”
More than 30 shots were heard from the White House North Lawn, according to Kimberly Halkett of Al Jazeera, reporting from the scene.
Journalists on the lawn were instructed to run and take shelter inside the press briefing room. Police cordoned off access to the surrounding area, and National Guard troops prevented reporters from approaching.
Halkett reported that the suspect had recently been issued a stay-away order, which he had ignored. He approached the area and began shooting, prompting Secret Service officers to return fire.
The suspect was later transferred to George Washington Hospital, Halkett added.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed his agency was on the scene supporting the Secret Service, stating on social media that he would “update the public as we’re able.”
White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung sought to project calm, posting on X that Trump was “working at 8 PM. Can’t stop, won’t stop.”
Saturday’s shooting occurred less than a month after what law enforcement authorities described as an attempted assassination of Trump on April 25. In that incident, a suspect was arrested at a Washington hotel hosting the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, a gathering of journalists and public figures.
“These incidents are happening with increasing frequency,” Halkett observed.
That previous incident had raised new questions about the security arrangements surrounding the president.
The identity of the suspect and his motive have not been publicly released. The Secret Service stated that the investigation is ongoing.
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