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A gunman was shot by United States Secret Service agents after opening fire near the White House, triggering a brief lockdown of the complex.
Crime scene technicians catalog evidence following an exchange of gunfire by the US Secret Service and a gunman on the National Mall (Photo: AFP)
A man carrying a firearm near the White House was shot by law enforcement on Monday after he opened fire on officers close to the Washington Monument, according to the United States Secret Service.
The incident prompted a brief lockdown of the White House complex even as President Donald Trump continued with an event inside.
According to Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn, plainclothes agents first identified the suspect around 3.30 pm (local US time) in the vicinity of the White House after noticing what appeared to be the imprint of a weapon.
Agents followed the individual for a short time before alerting uniformed officers.
Quinn said that when officers approached, the man attempted to flee.
“The man fired at the officers,” Quinn said, adding that law enforcement personnel returned fire, striking the suspect.
The individual was transported to a local hospital, though Quinn said he had “no information on the suspect’s condition.”
Emergency responders also treated and transported a minor who was injured in the incident.
Quinn said the juvenile was not seriously hurt but could not definitively confirm the source of the gunfire.
“We’ll let the doctors figure that out,” he said, while noting that “investigators believe he was struck by the suspect.”
Authorities said the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia will investigate the officer-involved shooting.
The Secret Service urged the public to avoid the area as emergency crews responded to the situation near the National Mall.
The White House complex was temporarily locked down as a precaution, and journalists outside were escorted into the briefing room by security personnel.
Despite the disruption, Trump continued hosting a small business event without interruption.
Quinn also addressed questions about whether the incident was connected to the president or Vice President JD Vance, whose motorcade had passed through the area shortly before the shooting.
“I’m not going to guess on that,” Quinn said.
“Whether or not it was directed to the President or not, I don’t know, but we will find out.”
He added that he did not believe the Vice President was an intended target.
The shooting comes just over a week after another security incident in Washington, when a man identified as Cole Tomas Allen allegedly attempted to breach security at an event attended by Trump.
In that case, a Secret Service officer was shot but was protected by body armour and not seriously injured.
Allen was charged in connection with that incident.
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