Suspect dies after exchange of gunfire with officers near White House

WASHINGTON: A man who opened fire at a security checkpoint near the White House was shot by officers and later died in hospital on Saturday evening, according to a statement issued by the US Secret Service.

The agency said the incident took place at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House. According to the statement sent to Reuters, the man approached the checkpoint, took a gun out of his bag and began firing at officers. Secret Service personnel returned fire and shot the suspect.

The Secret Service said the man was taken to hospital, where he later died. The agency also said a bystander was struck by gunfire during the incident, though it did not specify the extent of that person’s injuries.

In another Secret Service statement cited by multiple outlets, the agency said it was not yet clear whether the bystander was hit when the suspect first opened fire or during the subsequent exchange of shots with officers.

Official details and law enforcement account

No law enforcement personnel were injured in the shooting, the Secret Service said. The agency added that President Donald Trump was at the White House at the time of the incident.

A law enforcement official told Reuters that the suspect had been identified as an emotionally disturbed person. The official also said a stay-away order had previously been issued against him.

The Secret Service account indicated that the confrontation began when the man arrived at the checkpoint carrying a firearm in a bag before drawing the weapon and firing toward officers stationed there. Officers then responded with gunfire, bringing the encounter to an end.

Incident follows recent shooting in Washington

The shooting occurred nearly a month after another gun-related incident in Washington, when a gunman fired shots inside the hotel hosting the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. That episode prompted Trump and other officials to be rushed out.

Saturday’s shooting added to security concerns around the White House area, though the Secret Service said none of its personnel were hurt in the exchange. The agency has not publicly clarified further details about the bystander’s condition in the statement cited in the report.

The available information from the Secret Service and the law enforcement official was limited to the sequence of events at the checkpoint, the death of the suspect after he was taken to hospital, the injury to a bystander, and the fact that Trump was present at the White House when the shooting took place.