Donald Trump escorted from briefing after shooting near White House
- By Reuters -
- Aug 11, 2020
WASHINGTON: The US Secret Service abruptly escorted President Donald Trump out of the White House press room in the middle of a briefing on Monday because of a shooting outside the White House.
Trump returned to the media room several minutes later and said a person had been shot by law enforcement and taken to the hospital. He said he understood the suspect had been armed.
“It was a shooting outside of the White House,” Trump said. “It seems to be very well under control. … But there was an actual shooting, and somebody has been taken to the hospital. I don’t know the condition of the person.”
He said the shooting was near the fence at the edge of the White House grounds.
The Secret Service said in a tweet “the investigation into a USSS officer-involved shooting is ongoing. A male subject and a USSS officer were both transported to a local hospital. At no time during this incident was the White House complex breached or were any protectees in danger.”
The doors to the White House briefing room were locked shortly before Trump was escorted out.
Nobody else was wounded in the shooting, Trump said. He praised the Secret Service response and said the agency would have more details on the event later.