Man Shoots Himself near White House, Law Enforcement Source Says
A man apparently shot himself beyond the north fence line outside the White House Saturday, a law enforcement official told CBS News' Pat Milton. U.S. Secret Service responded to the sound of shots fired.
NEW: Secret Service and local police are both responding to incident outside of White House and are treating it as a suicide attempt. Medical Personnel are responding to the male victim, Secret Service says, after an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound https://t.co/xVqLfJ1YTj pic.twitter.com/tmcJLcX4CQ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 3, 2018
U.S. Secret Service tweeted that there were no other injuries aside from the male victim, who "allegedly suffered a self-inflicted gun shot wound." Medical personnel tended to the victim, whose medical condition is unclear at this time.
The FBI and D.C. police also responded to the incident. D.C. police sent their natural death unit to the scene.
President Trump is currently in West Palm Beach with First Lady Melania Trump, but has been briefed on the incident, according to White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley.
BREAKING: Secret Service personnel are responding to reports of a person who allegedly suffered a self-inflicted gun shot wound along the north fence line of @WhiteHouse.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) March 3, 2018
UPDATE: No other reported injuries related to the incident at @WhiteHouse.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) March 3, 2018
UPDATE: Medical Personnel are responding to the male victim.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) March 3, 2018
The incident increased security at the White House, and reporters were temporarily sent down to the basement.
It is unclear if the incident was politically connected in nature, although CBS News security analyst Ron Hosko said that will be one thing law enforcement would look into as they investigate.
"You can get pretty darn close to the White House with a weapon," Hosko said, describing how security is tight around the White House, but people are allowed to get relatively close to the perimeter.
The security scare came a little more than a week after a vehicle hit a security barrier near the White House, resulting in the arrest and charge of a 35-year-old driver. Tensions were heightened because Mr. Trump was home at the time.
