The White House was briefly placed under lockdown on Monday afternoon, May 4, after law enforcement officers shot an individual near the Washington Monument.
The incident occurred around 3:45 p.m. at the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue, close to the White House complex.
At the time of the shooting, President Donald Trump was hosting a small business event at the White House. The Secret Service quickly moved journalists from the North Lawn into the briefing room and secured the complex, while the President continued the event without interruption.
The lockdown was lifted shortly after authorities determined there was no ongoing threat to the White House.
The condition of the individual who was shot, as well as the circumstances leading to the use of force, have not yet been released. The Secret Service has advised the public to avoid the area around the National Mall as emergency responders and investigators continue their work.
The incident comes during a period of heightened security and tension in Washington, following a separate assassination attempt on President Trump nine days earlier at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. During that attack, a suspect identified as Cole Tomas Allen allegedly fired a shotgun at a security checkpoint, injuring a Secret Service agent whose life was reportedly saved by his ballistic vest.
