US President Donald Trump was abruptly evacuated from the White House briefing room by security service agents on Monday after shots were fired outside the building.
Trump returned to the briefing room several minutes later, confirming a shooting.
“There was a shooting outside of the White House and it seems to be very well under control. I would like to thank the Secret Service for doing their always quick and very effective work,” Trump said.
“Somebody has been taken to hospital. Seems the person was shot by Secret Service,” Trump added.
The Secret Service in a tweet said, “the investigation into a USSS officer involved shooting is ongoing. A male subject and a USSS officer were both transported to a local hospital. At no time during this incident was the White House complex breached or were any protectees in danger.”
“The incident had begun when a 51-year-old man approached a Secret Service Officer at 17th Street Northwest and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest near the White House, according to the statement by secret service.
“The suspect approached the officer and told the officer he had a weapon. The suspect then turned around, ran aggressively toward the officer, and in a drawing motion, withdrew an object from his clothing,” the statement said.
“He then crouched into a shooter’s stance as if about to fire a weapon. The Secret Service officer discharged his weapon striking the individual in the torso,” it said.
The White House complex, the Secret Service said, was not breached during the incident and no Secret Service protectees were ever in danger.
