White House Lockdown Lifted After Gunshots Heard Near Building
Quick Look
- A lockdown at the White House was lifted after gunshots were heard near the building.
- President Trump was inside.
- A suspect, identified as an emotionally disturbed person with a prior stay-away order, was shot and taken to hospital.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A lockdown was initiated at the White House after gunshots were heard in the vicinity. President Donald Trump was inside the building at the time. A suspect was apprehended and taken to hospital.
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.
Loading...
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.
It comes about a month after an alleged attempted assassination of the president on April 25 as he attended the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at a Washington hotel.
Cole Tomas Allen remains in custody over that incident and he recently pleaded not guilty to charges.
Open Questions
- What were the suspect's specific motives?
- What was the exact nature of the 'stay-away order'?
- Were there any other individuals involved?
- What security measures are being reviewed or implemented following this incident?
