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U.S. Secret Service officers shot an armed person Monday near the White House, according to a federal source familiar with the incident.
The shooting happened near 15th Street and Independence Avenue, a little over a half mile from the White House and close to the Washington Monument.
Secret Service Uniformed Division officers engaged the individual after the person pulled a gun, a federal source told Fox News Digital.
In a press conference, Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn said that a juvenile bystander was struck by the suspect. The child who was struck did not sustain any life-threatening injuries, but is receiving treatment at the hospital, Quinn said.
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The White House is seen from the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. (Matt Rourke/AP)
Quinn said the confrontation began after trained surveillance personnel spotted a “visual print” 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.”
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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.”
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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.
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Authorities urged the public to avoid the area as road closures were expected to last for several hours.