An armed individual was shot by U.S. Secret Service officers on Monday in close proximity to the White House, according to a source within federal law enforcement.
The incident unfolded near the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue, just over half a mile from the White House, and in the vicinity of the Washington Monument.
According to information provided to Fox News Digital by a federal source, officers from the Secret Service Uniformed Division engaged with the person who had brandished a firearm.
During a press briefing, Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn revealed that a young bystander was inadvertently struck by the suspect. Fortunately, the child’s injuries are not life-threatening, and medical treatment is being administered at a local hospital, Quinn reported.
The White House, as seen from the vantage point of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Matt Rourke/AP)
Quinn explained that the encounter was initiated after surveillance staff, equipped with specialized training, detected a “visual print” indicative of a weapon.
“My understanding is they observed a print,” Quinn said. “These are trained surveillance detection personnel out there looking every day to look for just that… and they observed a visual print of a firearm.”
“Upon making contact, that individual fled briefly on foot, withdrew a firearm and fired in the direction of our agents and officers,” Quinn said. “They returned fire and engaged.”
Quinn confirmed Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade had driven by the area not long before the shooting, but said it was unrelated.
When asked if the suspect was targeting President Trump in light of the recent attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Quinn said he would not speculate.
U.S. President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One upon arrival from Miami on May 3, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Florida. (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
“I can’t say—I’m not going to guess on that,” Quinn said. “I can tell you that every time, we’re patrolling this area. In 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.”
The Washington Monument is seen with the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 18, 2021. (Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency)
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.
The Secret Service said in a post on X that one individual was shot by law enforcement. The Metropolitan Police Department said it is on the scene investigating and that the area has been secured.
Authorities urged the public to avoid the area as road closures were expected to last for several hours.
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