- Suspect fled on foot, then drew weapon, opened fire.
- Secret Service agents returned fire, shot the suspect.
- A juvenile bystander suffered minor gunshot injuries.
A shooting involving US Secret Service personnel near the National Mall in Washington prompted a brief White House lockdown on Monday afternoon, with officials later confirming an exchange of fire with an armed individual and injuries to multiple people.
US Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn said the incident occurred shortly after a motorcade carrying Vice President JD Vance had passed through the area.
He said he did not believe the vice president was an intended target and declined to speculate on any link to recent threats against President Donald Trump.
“I’m not going to guess on that,” Quinn said. “Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don’t know, but we will find out.”
Quinn said Secret Service agents identified a “suspicious individual” believed to be armed.
The man fled on foot when approached, then drew a weapon and opened fire. Agents returned fire and struck the suspect, who was taken to hospital. His condition was not immediately known.
He added that a juvenile bystander was also slightly wounded in the incident.
Separately, the US Secret Service said it responded to an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, describing it as a confrontation between an armed individual and Secret Service Police.
The White House was briefly placed under lockdown during the incident.
“US Secret Service personnel are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting… One individual was shot by law enforcement; their condition is currently unknown,” the agency said in a statement on X.
The DC Police Department said its officers were also on scene and confirmed the area was secured, with roads closed for several hours as the investigation continued.
“The scene is secure. Avoid the area as roads will be closed for several hours,” police said.
Authorities said law enforcement had been on heightened alert in recent days following a separate shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner late last month, over which a suspect has already been arrested.
