White House Lockdown Lifted After Gunshots Heard Near Building

A lockdown on the White House has been lifted after gunshots were heard in the area and reporters were forced to sprint to safety.

US President Donald Trump was inside the building at the time but there were no immediate reports of any injuries.

A suspect has been taken to hospital, a US law enforcement official told Reuters.

According to the law official, a person approached the checkpoint at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House and started shooting at officers.

The suspect was "down" and was transported to George Washington Hospital, the official said.

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The suspect was identified as an emotionally disturbed person, the official said, adding that a "stay-away order" had been issued to the suspect previously.

Video captured by ABC America showed the moment shots could be heard while a reporter delivered a live cross on Saturday evening, local time.

"I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots," Selina Wang, the reporter shown in the video wrote on X.

"It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now."

On X, the Secret Service said it was “aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” — one block from the White House — and was “working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground”.

The White House North Lawn was cleared by Secret Service and reporters were told to sprint into the White House Press Briefing Room.

"FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds — we will update the public as we’re able," FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X.