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Security agencies swarmed the White House area on Saturday evening after reports of gunshots sparked a major emergency response involving the FBI, the US Secret Service and police authorities.
The incident occurred while US President Donald Trump was reportedly inside the White House working on negotiations tied to Iran.
Law enforcement officers quickly shut down access around the presidential complex, with police sealing nearby roads and National Guard personnel restricting movement around key locations.
Journalists on the White House North Lawn said they were ordered to run for safety and take cover inside the press briefing room after hearing sounds believed to be gunfire.
ABC News correspondent Selina Wang shared footage showing reporters ducking for cover as loud bangs echoed across the area.
“We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now,” she wrote on X.
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Authorities are yet to confirm the source of the reported shots or whether there was an active threat targeting the White House.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the agency was investigating “reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” and working with officers at the scene to establish the facts.
CNN reported that two people sustained gunshot injuries during an encounter involving Secret Service personnel near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street Northwest. According to a law enforcement official, officers responded after receiving reports of an armed person in the vicinity.
FBI Director Kash Patel also confirmed federal involvement, saying on X that the bureau was “on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds,” with more details expected as investigations continue.
The incident comes weeks after another security scare near the White House during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, when gunfire forced reporters and officials to seek shelter. The suspect in that case, Cole Tomas Allen, has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted assassination of Trump.
