Washington, United States – Two individuals were shot and wounded during an encounter with the Secret Service near the White House on Saturday evening.
Okay News reports that law enforcement officials from the Secret Service’s uniformed division responded to a report of a person firing a weapon near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street Northwest.
US President Donald Trump was inside the White House negotiating a deal with Iran at the time of the incident. Police and National Guard troops cordoned off access to the area, blocking journalists and the public from entering or exiting the grounds.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the agency was aware of “reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” and are “working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground”. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel said on X that the agency “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.”
ABC News correspondent Selina Wang shared footage showing her taking cover on the North Lawn as a volley of bangs was heard. Wang said on X, “We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now,” referring to the orders given to journalists at the facility.
The incident occurred less than one month after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April, where reporters and administration officials ducked for cover during a shooting. The suspect in that incident, Cole Tomas Allen, sprinted through a security checkpoint with a shotgun and has pleaded not guilty to attempting to assassinate Trump and other charges.
