The US Secret Service shot an armed man near the White House early Sunday morning following a tense confrontation. The incident took place shortly after midnight near the intersection of 17th Street and F Street NW, a short distance from the presidential residence.

According to the Secret Service, the suspect had been reported as a “suicidal individual” possibly travelling to Washington, DC, from Indiana. Local police alerted federal authorities, prompting officers to locate the man’s vehicle before spotting a suspect matching the description.

As Secret Service officers approached the individual, he allegedly brandished a firearm, leading to an “armed confrontation” with law enforcement. Shots were fired by Secret Service personnel, and the suspect was transported to a hospital. His condition remains unknown. Fortunately, no Secret Service officers were injured during the incident, and an investigation is underway.

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Recent security incidents near White House

At the time of the shooting, former President Donald Trump was not in Washington, as he was staying at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The incident adds to a growing list of security breaches near the White House in recent years.

In 2016, a man was shot after pointing a handgun at security officers at a White House checkpoint. More recently, in 2023, a 20-year-old Indian immigrant attempted to crash a rented truck into White House barriers.

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Trump himself narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July 2024, when a gunman shot at him during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing his ear. A subsequent Secret Service review revealed critical communication failures and lapses in security protocols during the attack.