Two people were reported to have been shot after numerous gunshots were heard outside the White House on Saturday evening, US media confirmed.
I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots. It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now. pic.twitter.com/iqdQwh4soq
— Selina Wang (@selinawangtv) May 23, 2026
ABC News reported that the White House North Lawn had been cleared by Secret Service, and that reporters had been told to “sprint into the White House Press Briefing Room.”
The Secret Service Office of Communications announced on X/Twitter that there had been “reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW,” and that the agency was “working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground.”
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the FBI was on the scene assisting the Secret Service.
Reporters on social media claimed to have heard between 20-30 shots.
Suspect taken down, reported to be in critical condition
Reuters cited a US law enforcement official who stated that a suspect had been taken down and brought to the hospital, after approaching a checkpoint near the White House and opening fire on officers there.
The scene had been contained, and no law enforcement personnel were injured, the official added.
The suspect was identified as an emotionally disturbed person, the official said, adding that a “stay-away order” had been issued to the suspect previously.
CBS reported that two people, including the suspect, had been wounded during the event. The shooter, law enforcement sources told CBS, was in critical condition, while the second victim was in serious condition.
Both wounded parties were taken to a nearby hospital, where CBS later reported that the shooting suspect had died.
CBS also reported that the White House lockdown had been lifted.
Trump announces peace agreement between US, Iran, in hours before shooting
Only a few hours before the shooting, US President Donald Trump had announced that he was “in the Oval Office at the White House,” where he said a peace agreement had been “largely negotiated” among the United States, Iran, and several Middle Eastern countries.”
The shooting also came approximately one month after Trump and his wife, Melania, were evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner by Secret Service after shots were fired outside of the ballroom where the dinner was being held.
The shooting suspect, armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives, fired at a Secret Service agent, an FBI official told Reuters, adding that the agent was hit in an area covered by protective gear and was not harmed and that the suspect was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
This is a developing story.
Reuters, Tzvi Jasper, Miriam Sela-Eitam, and Hannah Brown contributed to this report.
