Gunman killed after opening fire at White House checkpoint
A suspect died after opening fire on Secret Service officers near a White House checkpoint, with one bystander injured and Trump unharmed.
A man who opened fire at a security checkpoint near the White House in Washington, DC, has died after Secret Service officers returned fire. President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time, Reuters reported.
The shooting took place on Saturday evening near the junction of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, close to the White House complex. According to the US Secret Service, the suspect approached the checkpoint, removed a weapon from his bag and began firing at officers.
Secret Service personnel returned fire, hitting the suspect. He was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries, the agency said. Officials have not released further details about the suspect’s injuries or the number of shots fired.
A bystander was also hit by gunfire during the incident. Authorities said it was not immediately clear whether the shot that struck the bystander was fired by the suspect or by officers during the exchange.
No Secret Service officers or other law enforcement personnel were injured. President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time of the shooting and was not affected by the incident, according to the Secret Service.
A law enforcement official told Reuters the suspect had been described as emotionally disturbed and had previously been issued a “stay-away order”. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
The United States Secret Service is investigating the incident with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau was on the scene and assisting the Secret Service response.
