An armed man was shot by US Secret Service personnel on Sunday morning outside the White House, CNN reported shortly after the incident occurred. The confrontation happened after officers received information about a "suicidal individual" traveling to Washington, DC from Indiana.
According to Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi, USSS members spotted a person matching the description of the armed individual near the White House and located his parked vehicle. "As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel," Guglielmi said.
President Donald Trump was not at the White House during the Sunday morning incident, CNN reported. The wounded man was transported to a hospital following the shooting, though his current condition remains unknown.
The US Secret Service confirmed that none of their personnel suffered injuries during the confrontation. The investigation into the incident will be led by DC Metropolitan Police's Internal Affairs Division Force Investigations Team, as Guglielmi explained they are "the primary agency responsible for officer involved shootings in the District of Columbia."
This incident occurs amid heightened security concerns around government facilities in recent months. The Secret Service has maintained that their protocols for protecting government officials and facilities remain robust despite various challenges.
The identity of the armed individual has not been released, and authorities have not provided information about potential motives beyond the initial description of the person as "suicidal." Details about the exact location of the confrontation near the White House perimeter were also not specified in initial reports.
