Secret Service shoots person near White House, bystander also shot, law enforcement says

Police and members of the Secret Service block streets around the White House, Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP WASHINGTON — The U.S. Secret Service shot a person near the White House on Saturday, and a bystander also was shot, a law enforcement official said. Both individuals were said to be in critical condition, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. Journalists working at the White House on Saturday reported hearing a series of gunshots and were told to seek shelter inside the press briefing room. On X, the Secret Service said it was "aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW" — one block from the White House — and was "working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground." It said it will have an update shortly. In a social media post, FBI Director Kash Patel said officers were responding to shots fired and said he would "update the public as we're able." President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time. Evidence of the shooting was visible on a sidewalk just outside the White House complex, where yellow crime scene tape snaked across the pavement and officers with the U.S. Secret Service placed dozens of orange evidence markers on the ground. …