The White House was placed under lockdown on Monday evening after a suspect opened fire near a security checkpoint, prompting an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service officers. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. ET at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, when an individual approached, drew a weapon from a bag and began shooting. Secret Service police returned fire, striking the suspect, who later died at a nearby hospital. A bystander was also wounded, though it remains unclear whether the injury was caused by the suspect or during the exchange.
No Secret Service personnel were injured, and President Donald Trump, who was at the White House at the time, was not affected. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that federal agents were supporting the Secret Service at the scene. The area of the shooting lies outside the perimeter on the west side of the complex, with the West Wing shielded from view by the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
Journalists present as part of the press pool were ordered to take cover. NBC News correspondent Julie Tsirkin reported that 20 to 30 shots were fired, and Secret Service instructed those on the north lawn to run inside the press briefing room. ABC News correspondent Selena Wang, who was recording a social video, said she and her crew ducked down and were told to sprint to the briefing room. Secret Service agents were seen with weapons drawn, shouting at reporters to get down before ushering them inside.
The lockdown lasted approximately 45 minutes, after which normal operations resumed. The incident comes less than a month after gunfire erupted during the White House Correspondents Dinner, where Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were evacuated. The suspect in that shooting, Cole Tomas Allen, has pleaded not guilty to attempted assassination and other charges. In a separate incident on May 4, a man named Michael Marx opened fire on Secret Service agents near the White House, wounding a civilian before being shot and arrested.
Security around the White House has been a longstanding concern, with increased barriers implemented over the years. A higher fence was installed after a 2014 breach, and vehicle access on Pennsylvania Avenue was closed in 1995 due to bomb threats. Pedestrian access has also been restricted recently, partly due to construction of a new East Wing ballroom and work in Lafayette Park.
