A Texas man faces federal charges after prosecutors say he shot at Secret Service agents on the National Mall in an incident Monday that put the White House on lockdown.
Michael Marx, a 45-year-old man from Midland, Texas, shot a civilian bystander while firing his weapon at agents near the Washington Monument, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said Wednesday.
Here's what prosecutors say happened and what charges the accused shooter is facing.
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Why was there a shooting on the National Mall?
Secret Service agents in the vicinity of 15th Street and Madison Drive NW requested backup when they saw Marx concealing a firearm around 3:40 p.m., just as Vice President JD Vance was passing through the area in a motorcade, prosecutors said.
Officers approached Marx and issued verbal commands, but he began fleeing before retrieving a gun from his waistband, according to the court papers.
When he reached a sidewalk on Independence Avenue SW, Marx is accused of firing one shot at agents pursuing him. That shot, prosecutors said, struck a civilian pedestrian in the hand.
Secret Service agents returned fire, striking Marx in the hand, left arm and upper abdomen, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As he was being taken to a hospital, Marx allegedly told officers, "F--- the White House" and "Kill me, kill me, kill me."
What was the National Mall shooting suspect charged with?
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced Wednesday Marx was charged with assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon, using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“We will prove this defendant carried an illegal firearm into the heart of Washington, D.C., opened fire at Secret Service officers near a crowded intersection, and shot an innocent bystander who was simply crossing the street with his family,” Pirro said in a statement.
Matt Quinn, deputy director of the Secret Service, said Monday it's unclear if Marx was targeting President Donald Trump: "I don't know, but we will find out," he said.
Mike Stunson is the DC Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What charges does the National Mall shooter face in Washington DC?
