Secret Service and FBI respond to gunfire near White House as Trump remains in Oval Office
President Donald Trump was in the White House at the time of the incident, with no immediate injuries reported, nearly a month after an attempted assassination.
US law enforcement agencies, including the Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, responded to reports of gunfire near the White House in Washington, DC, on Saturday night. The incident occurred as President Donald Trump remained in the Oval Office, with no immediate reports of injuries received by authorities.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed via social media that officers were actively responding to the shots and pledged to update the public as information became available. The Secret Service stated it was aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, located one block from the White House, and was working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground.
According to Al Jazeera reporter Kimberly Halkett, more than 30 shots were heard from the White House North Lawn. Journalists stationed on the lawn were ordered to run and take shelter in the press briefing room as the situation unfolded.
Police cordoned off the area surrounding the White House, and National Guard troops blocked reporters from entering the downtown Washington zone. The White House has not yet confirmed the President’s condition or provided an official statement regarding the incident.
The gunfire comes nearly a month after law enforcement authorities described an attempted assassination of the President on 25 April, which took place during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at a Washington hotel. The exact origin and nature of the Saturday night shots remain under investigation.
