____________________________________________________________________________________
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
____________________________________________________________________________________
The U.S. Secret Service shot a man during an armed confrontation near the White House on Sunday, the agency said in a release, noting that the incident occurred just after midnight.
Officers encountered the armed man about a block away from the White House on the west side of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Fox News reported.
In a statement, the agency explained that on Saturday, police had provided information about a suicidal individual who was believed to be traveling to Washington, D.C., from Indiana.
At approximately midnight, Secret Service members discovered a parked car matching the man’s description near 17th and F Streets, NW, and observed a person fitting that description nearby.
“As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel,” the agency wrote in a statement. “The suspect was rushed to an area hospital and his condition is unknown.”
No Secret Service personnel were injured, the agency said, according to Fox.
The Secret Service stated that the Metropolitan Police Department will lead the investigation into the shooting, as it is the primary agency responsible for use-of-force incidents within the District of Columbia.
President Donald Trump was not at the White House during the incident, according to his official schedule. The president is scheduled to depart from his Mar-a-Lago estate today at 5 p.m. and return to Washington, D.C.
The incident comes as Trump announced plans on Friday to release reports on the prior two assassination attempts against him, pledging transparency about the attacks that nearly took his life during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump voiced frustration over the limited information made available to the public and vowed to disclose further details soon.
“It’s been seven months. Why do you think we don’t know more about the guy who shot you in the ear?” Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Thursday.
“We can no longer blame Biden for that one,” Trump responded. “He should have released that a long time ago. So they are giving me a report next week sometime and I do believe I’ll be releasing. I want to release the report, a lot of people have asked that question.”
Trump was the target of two assassination attempts in 2024. The first took place on July 13 at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, when 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from an elevated position 400 feet away. Trump was grazed in the upper right ear, while one attendee was killed and two others sustained critical injuries.
Secret Service counter-snipers responded within seconds, killing Crooks on the scene. A bipartisan Senate report later determined that technical failures and security lapses contributed to the attack.
The second attempt occurred on September 15 at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. A Secret Service agent spotted suspect Ryan Wesley Routh armed with a rifle and concealed in the bushes near the golf course. The agent opened fire, prompting Routh to flee before being captured while attempting to drive away.
Routh has pleaded not guilty, and his preliminary trial is set for September 8, 2025.
Trump highlighted unusual details about both suspects, especially regarding their access to foreign technology and their legal representation.
“You had one who had three apps, two of which were foreign supposedly and who has the biggest white shoe law firm in Pennsylvania, even though they don’t live in necessarily a white shoe area,” Trump said, referring to Crooks.
He raised additional questions about Routh, pointing out the number of phones he had.
Trump also commended the Secret Service for stopping a potential second shooting at his golf club, although he reiterated concerns about unresolved questions.