Gunman killed in shootout with Secret Service near White House

A gunman was killed after exchanging fire with Secret Service agents near the White House on Saturday evening, according to US officials. The shooting took place in the area of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., close to the presidential residence. Officials said one bystander was also struck by gunfire during the incident.

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The Secret Service said the individual pulled out a gun and began firing just after 6 pm local time. Anthony Guglielmi, the agency's chief of communications, said Secret Service police returned fire and struck the suspect. The suspect was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

President Donald Trump was in the White House at the time and was not affected by the shooting, according to the statement. The incident prompted an immediate protective response around one of the most sensitive sites in the US capital. The White House and the Secret Service are central to the security of the president, and any armed confrontation in the surrounding area raises questions about perimeter protection and public safety.

The fact that a bystander was hit also underlines the risk to people in the vicinity of the building and nearby streets. The shooting comes against a backdrop of heightened attention to threats against the US president and the White House. Trump said in a post that the shooter had a violent history and a possible obsession with the White House, and he thanked authorities for their swift and professional action.

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He also said the incident showed the importance of creating what he described as a highly secure space for future presidents in Washington. Trump has been the target of a number of suspected assassination attempts in the last two years, adding to the sensitivity of any attack or attempted attack near the executive mansion. In April, a man was charged with attempting to assassinate the US president after authorities said he stormed the White House correspondents' dinner armed with guns and knives.

That earlier case is separate from Saturday's shooting, but it illustrates the broader security concerns facing the Secret Service and federal law enforcement. What remains unclear is the identity of the gunman, the condition of the bystander, and the precise sequence of events before the shooting began. Officials have not yet said what led the suspect to open fire or whether there was any prior warning.

Further details from law enforcement are likely to focus on the suspect's background, the bystander's injuries, and how the incident unfolded so close to the White House perimeter.

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