PrimeNews360
A gunman was fatally shot by Secret Service officers on Saturday evening after he opened fire near a White House security checkpoint while President Donald Trump was inside the presidential compound.
The incident occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m. on May 23, 2026, when an individual approached a Secret Service checkpoint at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
The suspect, described by a law enforcement official as an “emotionally disturbed person” for whom a prior “stay-away order” had been issued, pulled a weapon from his bag and began firing at posted officers.
The gunman managed to fire at least three shots before Secret Service officers returned fire, striking the suspect and neutralizing the threat.
The suspect was transported to George Washington Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
A bystander was also struck by gunfire during the exchange and remains in critical condition at a local hospital, while no Secret Service officers were injured.
President Trump was inside the White House at the time of the shooting, reportedly working on negotiations related to Iran, and the Secret Service confirmed that no protectees or operations were impacted.
The shooting triggered an immediate lockdown of the White House complex, with journalists on the North Lawn ordered to sprint to the press briefing room for shelter.
ABC News White House correspondent Selina Wang was recording a video for social media when the gunfire erupted, capturing the sound of rapid shots before diving to the ground.
“I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots. It sounded like dozens of gunshots,” Wang said.
Heavily armed federal agents, police, and National Guard troops flooded the area surrounding the White House, sealing off streets in downtown Washington, D.C., as the FBI joined the investigation.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the agency’s presence on social media platform X, stating: “FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds”.
The lockdown was later lifted after authorities determined there was no active threat to the White House grounds.
The incident marks the latest in a series of security threats targeting President Trump, who has survived multiple alleged assassination attempts in recent years, including the July 2024 shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the April 2026 attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
The Secret Service has not released the identity of the suspect, and the investigation remains ongoing.
