A shooting near the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., prompted a lockdown at the White House Monday afternoon.
According to the Secret Service, undercover Secret Service agents noticed a suspicious person with what appeared to be gun. They contacted uniformed Secret Service agents, who attempted to contact the individual near the monument. The suspect ran away and fired shots at the agents, who returned fire. The suspect was hit, but his condition has not been disclosed.
A child was also struck during the incident but is expected to recover. The child is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
The shooting occurred shortly before Vice President J.D. Vance’s motorcade passed through the area.
Secret Service agents said they are unsure why the suspect had a gun or whether he intended to use it near the White House.
“We’re patrolling this area and every site we do 24/7 hardcore. Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don’t know, but we will find out,” a Secret Service spokesperson said.
The shooting prompted an evacuation of reporters, including Hearst Television’s Washington Bureau crew, who were rushed into the press briefing room as Secret Service agents responded to the incident.
While the White House was locked down during the incident, President Donald Trump was still able to hold a small business roundtable inside. Operations have since returned to normal.
