National

Suspect dies after trading gunfire with officers near White House, Secret Service says

By Jana Winter Reuters
Law enforcement officials inspect evidence on the street after a shooting incident near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Law enforcement officials inspect evidence on the street after a shooting incident near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Kylie Cooper Reuters

WASHINGTON - A gunman who fired at a White House ‌checkpoint was shot by officers and died after being taken to the hospital on Saturday evening, the Secret Service said.

The man approached the checkpoint at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House, pulled a gun out of his bag and started shooting at officers, according to a Secret Service statement sent to Reuters. Officers returned fire and shot the suspect, the agency said.

A bystander was struck by gunfire, the statement said, but it did not make clear how badly the person was hurt. Another Secret Service statement, cited by multiple news outlets, said it was not clear whether the bystander was hit when the gunman began shooting or during the subsequent exchange of gunfire.

The shooting suspect was identified as an emotionally disturbed person, a law enforcement official told Reuters, adding that a "stay-away order" had been issued to him previously.

No law enforcement personnel were injured, the Secret Service said, adding that President Donald Trump was at the White House during the incident.

The shooting comes nearly a month after a gunman fired shots inside the hotel hosting the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, prompting Trump and other officials to be rushed out.

(Reporting by Jana Winter and Rodrigo Campos; Additional reporting by Ryan Patrick Jones in Toronto; Writing by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Sergio Non and David Gregorio)

Law enforcement agents examine the evidence inside a cordoned off area on the street after a shooting incident near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Law enforcement agents examine the evidence inside a cordoned off area on the street after a shooting incident near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Kylie Cooper Reuters
A law enforcement official stands near the scene, after a shooting incident near the White House, in Washington, , in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
A law enforcement official stands near the scene, after a shooting incident near the White House, in Washington, , in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Kylie Cooper Reuters
FBI agents stand on the street after a shooting incident near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
FBI agents stand on the street after a shooting incident near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Kylie Cooper Reuters
Evidence marked by a cone after a shooting incident near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Evidence marked by a cone after a shooting incident near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Kylie Cooper Reuters
U.S. Secret Service agents keep watch on the roof of the White House after a shooting incident nearby in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
U.S. Secret Service agents keep watch on the roof of the White House after a shooting incident nearby in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard Nathan Howard Reuters
Members of the National Guard stand guard near the White House after a shooting incident in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
Members of the National Guard stand guard near the White House after a shooting incident in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard Nathan Howard Reuters
Law enforcement agents stand behind yellow tape near the White House, after gunshots were heard nearby, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Law enforcement agents stand behind yellow tape near the White House, after gunshots were heard nearby, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Kylie Cooper Reuters
Members of the U.S. National Guard stand behind yellow tape cordoning an area near the White House after alleged gunshots were heard nearby, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Members of the U.S. National Guard stand behind yellow tape cordoning an area near the White House after alleged gunshots were heard nearby, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Kylie Cooper Reuters
A U.S. Secret Service agent walks with law enforcement vehicles in the background near the White House, after alleged gunshots were heard nearby, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
A U.S. Secret Service agent walks with law enforcement vehicles in the background near the White House, after alleged gunshots were heard nearby, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Kylie Cooper Reuters
A member of the U.S. Secret Service watches holding his weapon after alleged gunfire was heard nearby, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
A member of the U.S. Secret Service watches holding his weapon after alleged gunfire was heard nearby, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard Nathan Howard Reuters
Journalists look out of windows in the White House press briefing room after alleged gunshots were heard nearby in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
Journalists look out of windows in the White House press briefing room after alleged gunshots were heard nearby in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard Nathan Howard Reuters
A U.S. Secret Service agent runs after alleged gunshots were heard nearby, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
A U.S. Secret Service agent runs after alleged gunshots were heard nearby, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard Nathan Howard Reuters
A reporter stands in front of a teleprompter in the press area on the North Lawn of the White House after alleged gunshots were heard nearby, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
A reporter stands in front of a teleprompter in the press area on the North Lawn of the White House after alleged gunshots were heard nearby, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 23, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard Nathan Howard Reuters

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