White House is locked down after gunfire was heard nearby, and the FBI and Secret Service are starting to help
Lockdowns are in place because of gunfire near the White House while the FBI and Secret Service look into reports of multiple shots.
Just four weeks after a gunman opened fire near a security checkpoint at the annual White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington, DC, US President Donald Trump had to leave the event. On Saturday night, gunfire was heard near the White House, which led to a lockdown and a quick response from the US Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), according to a statement shared on social media.
At the same time, President Trump said that the United States and Iran were “getting a lot closer” to a deal to end the Middle East war.
According to AFP, police and security forces flooded the area surrounding the White House on Saturday night after gunfire erupted.
To make a deal with Iran, President Trump was at the White House at the time.
Police put up barricades around the White House, and National Guard troops stopped an AFP reporter from getting in.
FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X that the FBI was helping with the reaction and would let people know more as it happened.
The post said, “The FBI is on the scene and helping the Secret Service respond to shots fired near White House grounds. We will keep the public updated as we can.”
Reporters who were there said they heard what sounded like many gunshots close to the White House.
They said they heard about 20 shots just after 6 p.m. ET. Reporters said the sounds seemed to come from the side of the White House site that has the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
A report of shots fired near the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, just outside the White House grounds, was being looked into by the Secret Service.
A spokesman for the Secret Service, Anthony Guglielmi, told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that the service knew about “reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” and was “working to confirm the information with personnel on the ground.”
Reporters who were on the North Lawn were rushed inside. According to one story, Secret Service agents yelled “get down” and warned of “shots fired” as they led reporters into the White House briefing room.
Someone from the news media said the noise seemed to be coming from the complex’s side, close to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
People saw Secret Service agents with rifles moving through the North Lawn area after the event and blocking entry near the briefing room.
A reporter for ABC News named Selina Wang shared video of herself hiding while loud bangs could be heard on the north lawn of the White House.
At this point, it’s not clear where the shots came from or if there is still a threat.
She wrote on X, “We were told to run to the press briefing room, where we are now.”
The BBC has talked to the White House, the Secret Service, and the local cops.
CNN reports that two individuals sustained injuries when they encountered the Secret Service near the White House.
