- Security forces shot a man near the Washington Monument after an armed confrontation.
- The suspect opened fire on the officers and hit a bystander.
- A motorcade with Vice President Vance was passing near the incident.
- Authorities closed part of the National Mall and temporarily closed the White House as part of the investigation.
The security forces opened fire on Monday near the Washington monument in the US capital of an unknown man. According to US Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn the suspect opened fire after being confronted by officers. TASR informs about it based on AP and Reuters reports.
Officers returned fire, but the suspect shot a bystander, according to Quinn. Shortly before the incident, a motorcade with US Vice President JD Vance was passing through the area. But Quinn says there is no indication she was the target of the shooting.
The authorities began investigating the incident in Washington’s National Mall. The White House was briefly closed. The Secret Service is urging people to avoid the area. The condition of the person who was shot is unknown. At the end of April, there was a shooting during a gala dinner with journalists in Washington, which was also attended by US President Donald Trump. The head of the White House and the other participants of the event escaped unhurt. These were suffered by one member of the secret service.
According to American media, the suspect in the shooting is 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen from California, who was armed with a shotgun, a pistol and knives. According to authorities, he was apparently a guest at the hotel where the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) annual dinner was being held.
