Secret Service officers exchange gunfire with armed suspect near White House, juvenile bystander injured: USSS
An armed man engaged in a shootout with U.S. Secret Service officers near the White House property in Washington, D.C. on Monday. The suspect and a juvenile bystander were both shot during the exchange of gunfire, as reported by the U.S. Secret Service.
The incident took place around 3:30 p.m. near the National Mall, just outside the perimeter of the White House complex, according to U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn. A plainclothes Secret Service officer noticed a “suspicious individual that appeared to have a firearm,” Quinn stated during a press briefing. Uniformed Secret Service police attempted to approach the suspect, but he fled on foot and fired at the officers. In response, the officers returned fire and struck the suspect. The suspect was then taken to a hospital for treatment, although Quinn did not provide further details on his condition.
Additionally, a male juvenile bystander was believed to have been shot by the suspect and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The victim is also receiving medical care at a hospital, according to Quinn. He mentioned, “Everything I’ve seen leads me to believe, and the investigators believe, he was struck by the suspect.”
The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation. This incident follows closely after an alleged assassination attempt on President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Quinn emphasized that it’s unclear whether the shooting was directed at the president, but the authorities are determined to find out.
Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade had passed through the area not long before the shooting took place, Quinn disclosed. Fortunately, the suspect did not approach the motorcade. The Metropolitan Police Department will be conducting an investigation into the use of force during the incident.
The situation prompted a brief evacuation of the White House North Lawn as a precautionary measure. The investigation is ongoing as law enforcement authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
