Key Points
- Suspect shot and taken to hospital after allegedly firing at officers
- A juvenile bystander also injured but not seriously
- White House briefly locked down; no breach of the complex
ISLAMABAD: U.S. Secret Service agents exchanged gunfire with an armed suspect near the White House in Washington on Monday, in a security incident that briefly triggered a lockdown at one of the world’s most heavily protected government complexes, officials said.
The confrontation unfolded in the vicinity of the National Mall, close to the Washington Monument and outside the secure perimeter of the White House.
Plainclothes agents initially identified a “suspicious individual” believed to be carrying a firearm and alerted uniformed officers, according to ABC News.
JUST IN: The Secret Service confirmed that a juvenile bystander was hit after an armed suspect opened fire near the White House.
The suspect was shot by Secret Service officers and is currently hospitalized, while the juvenile is receiving treatment for non-life-threatening… pic.twitter.com/eU7m2a5HDx
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 4, 2026
According to officials, when officers approached, the suspect fled on foot and opened fire. Secret Service personnel returned fire, striking the individual, who was later transported to the hospital. His condition has not been publicly confirmed.
A bystander, described as a juvenile, was also injured during the incident. Authorities said the injuries were not life-threatening. According to Reuters, early indications suggest that the suspect’s gunfire may have hit the bystander.
The White House was placed under a temporary lockdown as a precaution, and nearby roads were closed during the emergency response.
The Secret Service said its officers confronted an armed individual near the White House who later fired at them before fleeing on foot and being shot by law enforcement. The incident led to a brief lockdown at the White House https://t.co/9519EF4uwz pic.twitter.com/hIfvOJiRJC
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 5, 2026
Officials confirmed to Reuters that there was no breach of the White House grounds and no immediate evidence that the building or its occupants were directly targeted.
The incident occurred shortly after a motorcade carrying Vice President JD Vance passed through the area, although authorities said there is no indication it was the intended target.
President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time, attending a scheduled event, which continued without disruption.
The case is under investigation by local law enforcement in coordination with federal agencies. It comes amid heightened security concerns in Washington following a separate armed incident linked to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner days earlier.
