WASHINGTON, May 24 — A gunman opened fire near the White House on Friday evening before being killed in a shoot-out with US Secret Service agents, authorities said. One bystander was also injured in the incident.
WASHINGTON, May 24 — A gunman opened fire near the White House on Friday evening before being killed in a shoot-out with US Secret Service agents, authorities said. One bystander was also injured in the incident.
Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi said President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time and was not affected, noting that he was engaged in efforts to negotiate a deal with Iran.
The incident occurred shortly after 6pm (2200 GMT), when a man near the White House security perimeter allegedly “pulled a weapon from his bag and began firing.”
“Secret Service Police returned fire, striking the suspect, who was transported to hospital and later pronounced deceased. During the exchange, one bystander was also struck by gunfire,” Guglielmi said, adding that no officers were injured.
Following the shooting, police and security forces sealed off the area, with National Guard personnel restricting access to the vicinity as authorities cordoned off downtown Washington.
Witnesses described scenes of panic. Canadian tourist Reid Adrian told AFP he initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks before people began running for safety.
Journalists near the White House North Lawn said they were instructed to evacuate and take shelter in the press briefing room. ABC News correspondent Selina Wang said she captured the moment gunfire erupted while filming for social media, describing the sound as “dozens of gunshots.”
Trump, 79, has previously faced multiple alleged assassination attempts, including an armed intrusion at a security checkpoint during a hotel event in April 2025, a shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024 that left one attendee dead and Trump injured in the ear, and another arrest involving an armed man near his golf course in West Palm Beach.
Following the latest incident, House Republicans praised the Secret Service’s response, saying on X: “Endless gratitude to the Secret Service for their immediate, heroic response. Political violence has to stop.”
Trump has also cited security concerns in support of a major renovation project at the White House, which includes the construction of a US$400 million ballroom with multiple underground levels described as “drone-proof,” according to reports. — AFP
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