Barely four weeks after United States President Donald Trump was evacuated from the annual White House correspondents’ dinner after a gunman opened fire near a security checkpoint at the event in Washington DC, gunfire was heard Saturday evening near the White House, triggering a lockdown and a rapid response from the US Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), according to a statement posted to social media.
This is just as President Trump has stated that his country and Iran were “getting a lot closer” to an agreement to end the war in the Middle East.
Police and security forces swarmed the area around the White House on Saturday evening after reports of shots fired, AFP journalists said.
President Trump was at the White House at the time as he worked to negotiate a deal with Iran.
Police cordoned off access to the White House and National Guard troops blocked an AFP reporter from entering the area.
FBI Director, Kash Patel, in a post on X, said that the FBI was assisting in the response and would provide further updates.
“FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds – we will update the public as we’re able,” according to the post.
Reporters on the scene said they heard what appeared to be dozens of gunshots near the White House complex.
They said approximately 20 shots were heard just after 6 p.m. ET, with reporters saying the sounds appeared to come from the side of the White House complex containing the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
The Secret Service said it was investigating reports of shots fired near the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, just outside the White House grounds.
Secret Service spokesperson, Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that the agency was aware of “reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” and are “working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground”.
Members of the press corps gathered on the North Lawn were rushed inside, with reporters directed into the White House briefing room as Secret Service agents shouted “get down” and warned of “shots fired,” according to one of the reports.
One reporter said the sounds appeared to come from the side of the complex near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
Secret Service agents carrying rifles were seen moving through the North Lawn area following the incident and blocking access near the briefing room.
Footage shared by ABC News correspondent Selina Wang showed her taking cover as a volley of bangs could be heard ringing out across the White House’s north lawn.
It is currently unclear where the apparent shots originated from or if there is any ongoing threat.
“We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now,” she wrote on X.
The BBC has contacted the Secret Service, the White House and local police.
According to CNN, two people were shot and wounded in an encounter with the Secret Service near the White House.
