A major security scare unfolded near the White House on Saturday evening after multiple gunshots were heard close to the presidential complex, prompting an immediate lockdown response from law enforcement agencies and forcing journalists covering the White House to run for shelter.
The US Secret Service shot down and killed the person, reportedly the suspect, near the scene while a bystander was also injured during the chaos.
US President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time, where he had been engaged in high-level negotiations related to a possible agreement involving Iran and several Middle Eastern countries.
United States Secret Service statement
Police, Secret Service personnel and federal agents quickly flooded the area around the White House after reports of shots fired emerged near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, just a block away from the presidential grounds. Authorities sealed off sections of downtown Washington as National Guard troops and security officers restricted access around the area.
The US Secret Service confirmed it was investigating reports of gunfire near the White House and said officials were working to verify details from personnel on the ground.
Kash Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said FBI agents were assisting the Secret Service in responding to the incident.
“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,” Patel posted on X.
What we know so far
Trump inside Oval Office
The incident occurred while Trump was inside the Oval Office following a series of calls with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain regarding negotiations linked to Iran.
Earlier in the evening, Trump said on social media that discussions concerning a possible “memorandum of understanding pertaining to peace” had made major progress and that a broader agreement was nearing completion.
Trump also said he had separately spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and indicated that final details of a potential agreement were still under discussion.
Journalists rushed into shelter
The situation triggered panic among members of the press stationed on the White House North Lawn.
According to journalists present at the scene, Secret Service personnel ordered reporters to immediately abandon their reporting positions and move into the press briefing room for safety. Some reporters said they were prevented from leaving the secure area as the situation unfolded.
ABC News correspondent Selina Wang said she was filming a social media segment when the apparent gunfire erupted nearby.
“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. It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now,” Wang wrote on X.
She later said the sounds of the shots were captured on her recording as she dove to the ground during the chaos.
Canadian tourist Reid Adrian, who was near the White House at the time, told AFP that the sounds initially resembled fireworks before panic spread through the crowd.
“We heard probably 20 to 25 what sounded like fireworks, but they're gunshots, and then everyone started running,” Adrian said.
Shooter shot down
The person who opened fire after approaching a White House security checkpoint died following an exchange of gunfire with officers, federal officials said.
In a statement issued late Saturday, the US Secret Service said a preliminary investigation found that the individual approached the checkpoint shortly after 6 pm ET (3:30 am IST) and “removed a weapon from his bag and began firing at posted officers”.
Officers returned fire, striking the suspect, who was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died, the agency said.
A bystander was also hit during the incident, though a law enforcement official said it remained unclear whether the person was struck by the suspect’s bullets or by shots fired by officers afterward.
Previous security breaches
The latest scare comes amid heightened security concerns surrounding Trump, who has faced multiple alleged assassination threats in recent months.
The most recent incident took place on April 25, when an armed man reportedly stormed a security checkpoint near a ballroom where Trump was attending a media gala.
Saturday’s incident once again placed the White House under an intense security lockdown as heavily armed officers continued sweeping the surrounding area late into the evening.
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