A lockdown at the White House was caused by a U.S. Secret Service officer shooting a “suspicious” armed individual who shot a juvenile, according to the Secret Service deputy director.
Reporters said they were ushered from the north lawn of the White House into the press briefing room after the lockdown was called at about 3:30 p.m. Monday.
‘Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don’t know, but we will find out.’
Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn held a media briefing later near the site of the shooting at the intersection of 15th and Independence Ave.
Quinn said a plainclothes officer who was patrolling the White House perimeter observed that the suspicious adult male had a “visual print” of a firearm not far from the White House complex.
Several uniformed Secret Service police officers then confronted the man, who tried to flee on foot and then fired in the direction of the officers. They fired back and struck the man.
The man was transported to a hospital, but Quinn had no comment on his condition. A juvenile was also struck by the gunfire from the individual. Quinn said the juvenile did not sustain life-threatening injuries.
A weapon was recovered by police.
He also noted that the motorcade for Vice President JD Vance had just driven by before the incident.
“Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don’t know, but we will find out,” Quinn said.
Quinn said there’s an active investigation into the use of force.
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He also would not say if the adult suspect said anything to the officers during the confrontation.
The shooting came only a week after an armed man allegedly tried to assassinate the president at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and was arrested.
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