Reporters heard dozens of shots near the White House, and the Secret Service activated a strong operation.
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Moments of maximum tension were experienced this Saturday in the vicinity of the White House after a shooting was reported just meters from the presidential complex, prompting an immediate response from the Secret Service and the total lockdown of journalists and staff present in the area. CNN reporters claimed to have heard between 20 and 30 gunshots coming from the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, in front of one of the nearby entrances to the presidential residence.
The security operation was activated within seconds. Armed agents of the Secret Service deployed across the North Lawn while members of the press corps were urgently moved to the White House press room. According to testimonies shared by journalists present, the agents were shouting “get down” and warning about “gunfire” while trying to secure the perimeter in light of a potential active threat.
President Donald Trump was inside the presidential residence at the time of the attack and, according to preliminary reports, was evacuated along with First Lady Melania Trump as part of security protocols. For several minutes, the area remained completely blocked off while agents patrolled the grounds with assault rifles and reinforced security checks.
Minutes after the incident, the Secret Service issued an official statement confirming that an individual pulled a weapon from a bag and began firing around 6 PM local time. According to the federal agency, agents immediately responded to the attack and shot the suspect, who was taken to a local hospital where he later died from injuries sustained during the confrontation.
Authorities also confirmed that a bystander was injured during the exchange of gunfire, although they clarified that no agents were injured. Additionally, they emphasized that neither Donald Trump nor presidential security operations were compromised during the incident. So far, the identity of the attacker and the possible motives behind the shooting have not been disclosed.
The statement from the Secret Service.
The episode occurs just a month after another armed incident at the White House, when a suspect armed with a shotgun breached a security checkpoint and exchanged gunfire with federal agents. That situation had already raised alarms about security in the political heart of Washington, and this new attack puts pressure back on the agencies responsible for protecting the U.S. president.
The investigation remains open and the Secret Service has indicated that it will provide more information in the coming hours. Meanwhile, federal forces are cordoning off the area to conduct forensics and determine whether the attacker acted alone or if there was any prior planning behind the attempted attack in the vicinity of the White House.
