U.S. Secret Service Engages in Shooting Incident Near the White House
WASHINGTON – Early Sunday morning, an armed man was shot by the U.S. Secret Service outside the White House following a confrontation. The suspect has since been transported to a local hospital, according to a statement from the Secret Service.
At the time of the incident, President Donald Trump was not present at the White House, as he was spending the weekend at his residence in Florida.
The encounter began after local authorities alerted Secret Service officials on Saturday about a potentially suicidal individual traveling from Indiana to Washington. The individual’s vehicle was located just a block away from the White House.
When Secret Service agents approached, the man displayed a firearm, prompting officers to open fire shortly after midnight local time.
He was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital, though his current medical status remains unclear. The Secret Service reported that their personnel did not sustain any injuries during the incident.
Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department announced that its internal affairs division is investigating the shooting but did not provide additional comments at this time.
This shooting adds to a history of similar incidents on or near White House grounds, including a notable case from 2016, when a man was shot after wielding a handgun at one of the White House security gates. Additionally, earlier in 2023, a 20-year-old Indian immigrant, Sai Varshith Kandula, attempted to breach the White House’s security barriers in a rented truck.
President Trump also faced a close call with an assassination attempt in July. During a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman opened fire, grazing Trump’s ear. A Secret Service review following the incident identified communication failures and lapses in vigilance as contributing factors to the near tragedy.
(Reuters)
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