An armed man was shot by agents of the United States Secret Service in downtown Washington, DC on Monday (May 4), prompting a brief lockdown near the White House, officials said. The incident near the National Mall occurred shortly after a motorcade carrying Vice President JD Vance passed through the area, according to USSS Deputy Director Matthew Quinn. Quinn told reporters he did not believe the vice president was the target and said it was unclear whether the incident was linked to recent threats against President Donald Trump.&nbsp;"I'm not going to guess on that," he said. “Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don't know, but we will find out.” Quinn said agents noticed a "suspicious individual," who appeared to be carrying a firearm. After being approached, the man fled on foot, drew his weapon, and opened fire, Quinn said. Secret Service agents returned fire, striking the suspect, who was taken to the hospital. His condition has not been disclosed.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-it-had-no-pre-planned-programme-to-attack-uae-as-araghchi-calls-hormuz-crisis-diplomacy-key-labels-project-freedom-is-project-deadlock-1777931164418">Iran says it had 'no pre-planned programme' to attack UAE as Araghchi calls Hormuz crisis diplomacy key, labels 'Project Freedom is Project Deadlock'</a>&nbsp;Quinn also confirmed that a bystander, a juvenile, sustained minor injuries. The shooting comes just over a week after a gunman attempted to breach security at a Washington hotel where Trump was attending an event. The suspect in that case, Cole Allen, 31, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/oklahoma-mass-sooting-shooting-rocks-us-city-police-says-no-arrest-made-yet-1777926184599/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/oklahoma-mass-sooting-shooting-rocks-us-city-police-says-no-arrest-made-yet-1777926184599/embed</a><h2>Past incidents near White House</h2>A man was arrested after crashing his vehicle into a security gate near the White House on Tuesday night (October 21, 2025), officials said. The incident occurred at around 10:37 pm at a checkpoint close to one of the White House entrances. The United States Secret Service immediately took the driver into custody. His identity and possible motive have not yet been released. Authorities later searched the vehicle and confirmed it posed no threat. The incident drew attention online, with videos showing Secret Service personnel examining the damaged car, taking measurements, and documenting the scene.

Secret Service agents shoot armed suspect near White House after gunfire in Washington, prompting lockdown; juvenile injured, investigation ongoing

An armed man was shot by agents of the United States Secret Service in downtown Washington, DC on Monday (May 4), prompting a brief lockdown near the White House, officials said. The incident near the National Mall occurred shortly after a motorcade carrying Vice President JD Vance passed through the area, according to USSS Deputy Director Matthew Quinn. Quinn told reporters he did not believe the vice president was the target and said it was unclear whether the incident was linked to recent threats against President Donald Trump. "I'm not going to guess on that," he said. “Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don't know, but we will find out.” Quinn said agents noticed a "suspicious individual," who appeared to be carrying a firearm. After being approached, the man fled on foot, drew his weapon, and opened fire, Quinn said. Secret Service agents returned fire, striking the suspect, who was taken to the hospital. His condition has not been disclosed. Also Read: Iran says it had 'no pre-planned programme' to attack UAE as Araghchi calls Hormuz crisis diplomacy key, labels 'Project Freedom is Project Deadlock' Quinn also confirmed that a bystander, a juvenile, sustained minor injuries. The shooting comes just over a week after a gunman attempted to breach security at a Washington hotel where Trump was attending an event. The suspect in that case, Cole Allen, 31, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president. https://www.wionews.com/videos/oklahoma-mass-sooting-shooting-rocks-us-city-police-says-no-arrest-made-yet-1777926184599/embed Past incidents near White House A man was arrested after crashing his vehicle into a security gate near the White House on Tuesday night (October 21, 2025), officials said. The incident occurred at around 10:37 pm at a checkpoint close to one of the White House entrances. The United States Secret Service immediately took the driver into custody. His identity and possible motive have not yet been released. Authorities later searched the vehicle and confirmed it posed no threat. The incident drew attention online, with videos showing Secret Service personnel examining the damaged car, taking measurements, and documenting the scene.

The US Secret Service shot an armed man near White House after gunfire; a juvenile has been injured as a lockdown briefly hits the Washington area

Secret Service shoots armed man near White House as Trump attends event inside; suspect hospitalised

A van slammed into a security barricade near the White House early on Wednesday (March 11), police said, triggering a full lockdown of downtown Washington. The vehicle struck a gate at Lafayette Square, just north of the White House, which is an area normally bustling with tourists and office workers. Authorities have not yet released any information about the driver. A Secret Service investigation is underway, and the driver is being questioned. No injuries have been reported so far. The incident occurred as the capital remained under heightened security amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Police closed off several major streets around the White House, halting government employees and city workers from getting to their offices, while traffic congestion snarled the area.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranian-linked-hackers-suspected-in-cyberattack-on-stryker-s-cork-headquarters-1773241923292">Iranian-linked hackers suspected in cyberattack on Stryker’s Cork headquarters</a>&nbsp;A man was arrested after crashing his car into a security gate near the White House late Tuesday night (October 21). The incident occurred around 10:37 pm at a checkpoint near one of the entrances. U.S. Secret Service officers quickly detained the driver, whose identity was later confirmed after authorities searched the vehicle and determined it posed no threat.&nbsp;Similar incidents have occurred before. In January and May 2024, vehicles also struck security gates near the White House, raising initial security concerns but ultimately being deemed non-threatening. In the January 2024 case, a driver crashed into an outer gate and was taken into custody. The Secret Service said there was no danger to the White House or nearby areas, and then-President Joe Biden was not at the residence at the time.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-military-attacks-iran-s-minelaying-boats-in-strait-of-hormuz-1773236697216/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-military-attacks-iran-s-minelaying-boats-in-strait-of-hormuz-1773236697216/embed</a>&nbsp;In another incident in May 2024, a man died after driving his vehicle into a security barrier near the White House. The Secret Service later confirmed that the crash did not pose a threat to public safety, according to a report by The New York Times.

White House area under lockdown after car crashes into security barricade

A van slammed into a security barricade near the White House early on Wednesday (March 11), police said, triggering a full lockdown of downtown Washington. The vehicle struck a gate at Lafayette Square, just north of the White House, which is an area normally bustling with tourists and office workers. Authorities have not yet released any information about the driver. A Secret Service investigation is underway, and the driver is being questioned. No injuries have been reported so far. The incident occurred as the capital remained under heightened security amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Police closed off several major streets around the White House, halting government employees and city workers from getting to their offices, while traffic congestion snarled the area. Also Read: Iranian-linked hackers suspected in cyberattack on Stryker’s Cork headquarters A man was arrested after crashing his car into a security gate near the White House late Tuesday night (October 21). The incident occurred around 10:37 pm at a checkpoint near one of the entrances. U.S. Secret Service officers quickly detained the driver, whose identity was later confirmed after authorities searched the vehicle and determined it posed no threat. Similar incidents have occurred before. In January and May 2024, vehicles also struck security gates near the White House, raising initial security concerns but ultimately being deemed non-threatening. In the January 2024 case, a driver crashed into an outer gate and was taken into custody. The Secret Service said there was no danger to the White House or nearby areas, and then-President Joe Biden was not at the residence at the time. https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-military-attacks-iran-s-minelaying-boats-in-strait-of-hormuz-1773236697216/embed In another incident in May 2024, a man died after driving his vehicle into a security barrier near the White House. The Secret Service later confirmed that the crash did not pose a threat to public safety, according to a report by The New York Times.

Van crashes into White House security gate at Lafayette Square, triggering downtown Washington lockdown. Secret Service investigates; no injuries reported

The US Air Force scrambled jets on Tuesday (November 26) after reports of an unidentified aircraft in restricted airspace over Washington forced a brief lockdown of the White House and Capitol.

The North American Aerospace Defence Command said in a statement that it's jet fighters "are on-site and responding".

The plane that allegedly violated the airspace of the US capital city "is not considered hostile at this time", they said.

"The White House was locked down this morning due to a potential violation of the restricted airspace in the National Capital Region," the US Secret Service, which protects President Donald Trump, said in a statement.

"The lockdown has been lifted at this time," they said.

The alert lasted less than an hour. The Capitol Police said the report of a possible aircraft in restricted airspace came in at 8:27 AM (1327 GMT) and the situation was cleared at 9:12 AM "without incident".

There was no information about what Trump and his wife Melania did during the alert.

The alert evoked memories of the Sep 11, 2001 attacks when Al Qaeda militants piloted a passenger jet into the Pentagon and were believed to be targeting another at the White House or Congress before it crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

Two other jets were flown by the attackers into the World Trade Center in New York.

Washington airspace restrictions were severely tightened after those attacks, which left nearly 3,000 dead.

And surface to air missile batteries have been installed around the city to target potentially attacking aircraft.

In history, a number of Americans have flown aircraft into downtown Washington in protest.

In 1974 Robert Preston, a despondent army private who was 20 years old landed a military helicopter on the White House lawn after police cars tracked him on the ground and Secret Service agents fired at him with shotguns.

In April 2015 Florida mailman Doug Hughes, angry about how big money was allegedly corrupting US politics, flew undetected in a small gyrocopter into downtown Washington, landing it just outside the Capitol building.

He landed without incident, was arrested and a year later was sentenced to 120 days in jail for the felony crime of operating the aircraft without a pilot licence.

The US Air Force scrambled jets on Tuesday (November 26) after reports of an unidentified aircraft in restricted airspace over Washington forced a brief lockdown of the White House and Capitol.

The US Air Force scrambled jets on Tuesday (November 26) after reports of an unidentified aircraft in restricted airspace over Washington forced a brief lockdown of the White House and Capitol. The North American Aerospace Defence Command said in a statement that it's jet fighters "are on-site and responding". The plane that allegedly violated the airspace of the US capital city "is not considered hostile at this time", they said. "The White House was locked down this morning due to a potential violation of the restricted airspace in the National Capital Region," the US Secret Service, which protects President Donald Trump, said in a statement. "The lockdown has been lifted at this time," they said. The alert lasted less than an hour. The Capitol Police said the report of a possible aircraft in restricted airspace came in at 8:27 AM (1327 GMT) and the situation was cleared at 9:12 AM "without incident". There was no information about what Trump and his wife Melania did during the alert. The alert evoked memories of the Sep 11, 2001 attacks when Al Qaeda militants piloted a passenger jet into the Pentagon and were believed to be targeting another at the White House or Congress before it crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Two other jets were flown by the attackers into the World Trade Center in New York. Washington airspace restrictions were severely tightened after those attacks, which left nearly 3,000 dead. And surface to air missile batteries have been installed around the city to target potentially attacking aircraft. In history, a number of Americans have flown aircraft into downtown Washington in protest. In 1974 Robert Preston, a despondent army private who was 20 years old landed a military helicopter on the White House lawn after police cars tracked him on the ground and Secret Service agents fired at him with shotguns. In April 2015 Florida mailman Doug Hughes, angry about how big money was allegedly corrupting US politics, flew undetected in a small gyrocopter into downtown Washington, landing it just outside the Capitol building. He landed without incident, was arrested and a year later was sentenced to 120 days in jail for the felony crime of operating the aircraft without a pilot licence.

Washington airspace alert sparks White House lockdown