An armed man was shot by agents of the United States Secret Service on Monday in downtown Washington, D.C., USA, prompting a brief security lockdown near the White House, officials said.
The incident occurred close to the National Mall shortly after a motorcade carrying Vice President JD Vance had passed through the area, according to Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn.
Quinn told reporters there was no indication the vice president was the intended target, adding that investigators were still working to determine the motive behind the incident. He also declined to speculate on whether it could be linked to recent threats involving President Donald Trump.
“I’m not going to guess on that,” Quinn said. “Whether or not it was directed at the president or not, I don’t know, but we will find out.”
According to the Secret Service, agents had earlier identified a “suspicious individual” believed to be armed. When officers approached the suspect, he fled on foot, drew a firearm, and opened fire.
Agents returned fire, striking the suspect, who was later taken to hospital. His condition has not yet been confirmed.
Quinn also said a bystander, identified as a juvenile, sustained minor injuries during the incident.
The shooting comes just over a week after another security scare in the US capital, when a gunman attempted to breach a Washington hotel where Trump was attending an event. Authorities later charged Cole Allen, 31, with attempting to assassinate the president.
Investigations into Monday’s shooting are ongoing.
