Secret Service Shoot an Armed Man Near the White House

This happened about an hour ago and there still isn’t too much information at this moment. According to the Secret Service, a man with a gun was shot nearly 15th street and Independence Ave. That’s on the other side of the Washington Monument from the White House. Google maps says it’s a 1.1 mile walk.

U.S. Secret Service personnel are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C. One individual was shot by law enforcement; their condition is currently unknown. Please avoid the area as emergency crews are responding. pic.twitter.com/LNUTL2F3gM

— U.S. Secret Service Office of Communications (@SecretSvcSpox) May 4, 2026

There should be a press briefing soon.

There will be a media briefing at 15th and Jefferson shortly.

The incident resulted from a confrontation between an armed individual and Secret Service Police.

— U.S. Secret Service Office of Communications (@SecretSvcSpox) May 4, 2026

Fox News has the only additional details I’ve seen so far.

Secret Service Uniformed Division officers engaged the individual after the person pulled a gun, a federal source told Fox News Digital.

The suspect was believed to be alive and taken to a hospital, the source said. The situation appeared to be quickly contained, with no immediate indication of a broader threat, they said.

Jourrnalists were ushed off the White House lawn and into the building.

🚨 WATCH: Journalists being rushed off the North Lawn into briefing room as precaution after Secret Service shot someone with a gun near the White House pic.twitter.com/Acbz8Fu2mV

— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) May 4, 2026

The White House itself was briefly locked down.

NEW: White House was briefly locked down due to an officer-involved shooting nearby.

Video by @noturtlesoup17 | Licensing @FreedomNTV [email protected] https://t.co/fJF9ajBP3L pic.twitter.com/7QaCtO2ser

— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) May 4, 2026

Okay, we finally have a press conference and there is some new information. 

• Secret Service were patrolling the outer perimeter around the White House when they spotted a man with a gun. They call this a “print” visible sign of a gun.
•  Marked cars were called in and when the man was confronted he pulled the gun and fired.
• One bystander, a juvenile, was hit but the injuries are not life-threatening.
• Secret Service shot the man and he is in the hospital, condition unknown.
• VP Vance’s motorcade had passed along the street where the armed man was walking not long before the shooting.
• Asked if the man said anything, Matt Quinn refused to say until he had confirmation. So maybe he did say something.

Here’s the full statement with a brief Q&A:

🚨Matt Quinn, U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director: Armed Suspect Flees and Opens Fire on Officers Near The White House Perimeter.. The Suspect Shot by Secret Service Has Been Transported to The Hospital (Conditions Not Released)! 😱🇺🇸

Juvenile Bystander Believed Injured by Armed… pic.twitter.com/UvPNIvWuii

— Bestfriend (@BestfriendKick) May 4, 2026

It looks like that’s all we’re going to get for now. If there are updates later tonight I’ll add them below.

Update: From the Washington Post.

Ryan Naef, 21, and his mother, Amanda Naef, 47, who were visiting from Vermont, were taking photos by the White House when they saw Vance’s motorcade pass.

Then five or six gunshots rang out, Ryan Naef said. “It was just every officer, every car in the area was flying down in that direction,” he said. “We were just really confused.”

So it sounds like the timing of this was very close to the passing of Vance’s motorcade.

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