- Security forces flood the grounds of the White House.
- Police block access near the White House complex.
- The FBI joins an investigation near the White House perimeter.
Police and security forces swarmed the White House Saturday night after shots were fired in the area, authorities said.
US President Donald Trump was in the White House at the time as he worked to negotiate an agreement with Iran.
The police blocked access to the White House, and National Guard troops blocked one AFP reporter from entering the area of downtown Washington.
“The FBI is on the scene supporting the Secret Service responding to shots fired near the White House grounds,” FBI Director Kash Patel said on X.
This was told by Canadian tourist Reid Adrian AFP he was in the area when “we heard probably 20 to 25 what sounded like fireworks but they’re gunshots and then everybody started running.”
Reporters who were on the White House North Lawn at the time said on X that they were ordered to run and take cover in the press conference room.
ABC News correspondent Selina Wang had been recording a video for social media when the apparent gunfire erupted, capturing the sound of the gunshots as she dove to the ground.
“It sounded like dozens of gunshots,” she said on X.
A spokesman for the Secret Service said AFP in a text message that the agency was still gathering information about the incident.
Trump, 79, has been the target of three alleged assassination attempts, the latest of which took place on April 25, when a gunman stormed a security checkpoint near the ballroom where Trump was attending a media call.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more details.
