An officer-involved shooting near the White House on Monday triggered a temporary lockdown and heightened security across central Washington, authorities said.
The US Secret Service confirmed its personnel responded to an incident at 15th Street and Independence Avenue, where one individual was shot by law enforcement. The person’s condition was not immediately known.
In an initial statement, the agency said its officers were on the scene of the shooting. It later clarified that the incident stemmed from a confrontation between an armed individual and Secret Service Police.
The Metropolitan Police Department said officers were assisting at the scene and have secured the area. Authorities urged the public to avoid the vicinity, warning that road closures would remain in place for several hours.
The White House complex was briefly placed under lockdown as a precaution, though officials did not report any threat to protected individuals.
Security agencies in Washington, DC have been on heightened alert in recent days following a separate shooting incident late last month at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, for which a suspect has already been taken into custody.
Investigations into Monday’s shooting are ongoing.
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