The White House was placed on immediate lockdown Saturday evening after a gunman opened fire near the complex, triggering a massive response from law enforcement and security forces, authorities confirmed.
U.S. President Donald Trump was inside the executive mansion at the time of the incident, amid ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic deal with Iran.
Following the gunfire, police heavily cordoned off downtown Washington, while National Guard troops blocked access to the area, preventing media personnel from entering the perimeter.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation immediately joined the response effort on-site.
”FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds,” FBI Director Kash Patel said on X.
According to a senior administration official cited by Fox News host Bret Baier, the suspect approached the west side of the White House and discharged a weapon three times.
Secret Service agents engaged the suspect, returning fire and neutralizing the gunman. A bystander was also struck during the crossfire. Officials confirmed that the shooter failed to breach the White House security perimeter at any point.
The sudden eruption of violence caught witnesses and tourists in the area by surprise.
”We heard probably 20 to 25 what sounded like fireworks, but they’re gunshots, and then everyone started running,” Canadian tourist Reid Adrian told AFP.
Inside the grounds, journalists working on the North Lawn were abruptly ordered by security details to evacuate and take cover inside the press briefing room.
ABC News correspondent Selina Wang was filming a social media video when the incident occurred, capturing the sudden audio of the gunfire as she sought cover.
”It sounded like dozens of gunshots,” she stated on her social media account.