A man armed with a gun was shot by Secret Service officers Monday after firing at law enforcement near the Washington Monument, wounding a minor caught in the crossfire, authorities said.
The shooting prompted a security response near the White House complex as President Donald Trump was hosting an event nearby. The incident on the National Mall also occurred as the motorcade of Vice President JD Vance transited the vicinity before it unfolded.
The suspect, who has not been named, and a minor with non‑life‑threatening injuries were taken to hospitals, and the Metropolitan Police Department will lead the investigation.
How the National Mall Incident Unfolded
Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn said plainclothes agents noticed the man around 3:30 p.m. after seeing the outline of a weapon on him near the White House complex. The agents followed him briefly and alerted uniformed officers.
Quinn said the man tried to flee when uniformed Secret Service officers approached and then fired at them. Officers returned fire. The shooting occurred Monday afternoon near 15th Street and Independence Avenue, close to the Washington Monument.
The Secret Service could not say definitively that the bystander, who also was taken to a hospital, was struck by shots from the suspect’s gun.
“We’ll let the doctors figure that out,” he said, though he noted that “investigators believe he was struck by the suspect.”
Authorities recovered a weapon at the scene, roughly one mile south of the White House, Quinn said.
The Secret Service urged people to avoid the area as emergency crews responded to the shooting.
Secret Service on High Alert
Security around the White House and in central Washington has been tightened in the days since suspected gunman, Cole Tomas, opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner last month, injuring a Secret Service officer before being subdued. The incident prompted an extensive federal investigation and renewed scrutiny of security protocols at events involving the president and senior officials.
It’s currently unclear if Monday’s incident was connected to other recent attempts on Trump’s life, Quinn said.
“I’m not going to guess on that,” Quinn said. “Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don’t know, but we will find out.”
What Happens Next
The Secret Service has since maintained an elevated alert posture, with senior officials acknowledging the attack underscored the ongoing threat environment facing the president and protected sites.
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