White House shooting: Gunman killed, bystander critically injured in exchange of fire

A gunman who opened fire near the White House on Saturday evening was shot dead by Secret Service officers after an exchange of gunfire close to the executive complex officials saidAs per IANS a bystander was also struck during the shooting while President Donald Trump was inside the White House and was not injuredThe shooting happened shortly after 6 pm near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW close to the White House grounds and the Eisenhower Executive Office BuildingWhile issuing an official statement Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi asserted Shortly after 6 pm Saturday an individual in the area of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue pulled a weapon from his bag and began firingrdquo as cited by IANSThe Secret Service expressing their views on the incident highlighted that their officers returned fire striking the suspect who was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceasedHighlighting further about the incident they also added ldquoDuring the shooting one bystander was also struck by gunfire and no injuries were sustained by officersrdquoBystander shot by US Secret Service is in critical conditionOfficials did not identify the suspect or disclose a possible motive The condition of the bystander was not immediately released by the Secret Service though American media reported the person was in critical conditionAs per the reports Trump was inside the White House at the time of the shooting ldquoThe president was in the White House during the incident however no protectees or operations were impactedrdquo the statement from the White House further addedThe White House complex was briefly locked down as armed Secret Service personnel moved across the North Lawn and security teams rushed journalists and staff into the press briefing roomAmerican media further reported that members of the press corps were told to shelter in place as agents shouted ldquoget downrdquo and warned of ldquoshots firedrdquoJournalists near White House reported gunfire shotsJournalists near the White House described hearing repeated gunfire Allison Robbert a photographer for The New York Times said that about ldquo20 to 30 gunshotsrdquo could be heard from outside the press room areaThe media person who was near the White House at the time of the incident further added ldquoJournalists heard it from outside the press room and were ushered inside by Secret Servicerdquo as cited by IANSAnother American news correspondent Selina Wang described the chaotic moments after the shooting beganldquoI was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shotsrdquo Wang wrote on X ldquoIt sounded like dozens of gunshots We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding nowrdquo she addedFBI Director Kash Patel says The bureau is assisting in the investigationKash Patel while talking to social media platform X wrote ldquoThe FBI is also on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House groundsmdashwe will update the public as wersquore ablerdquoThe Secret Service said the incident remained under investigation and additional information would be released later Multiple law enforcement agencies including the FBI Metropolitan Police Department and National Guard personnel responded to the area as roads around the White House were sealed for several hoursThe shooting came less than a month after another gunfire incident disrupted the White House Correspondentsrsquo Association dinner in Washington where journalists lawmakers and senior administration officials had gatheredWith inputs from IANS