White House lockdown over presence of armed suspect
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WASHINGTON, (APP): White House lockdown over presence of armed suspect
The White House was placed on lockdown for an hour Friday and heavily armed Secret Service agents were deployed around the building, after a man brandished a weapon nearby and was shot.
President Barack Obama was not on the premises when the incident took place at around 3:30 pm (1930 GMT) -- he had gone to play golf at Joint Base Andrews, just outside the capital.
The Secret Service described the incident as a "police involved shooting near the White House complex," and said that all of the people it protects were "safe."
Local media reported that a man approached a security checkpoint, pulled out a weapon and refused to back down, prompting an officer to shoot.
The individual was wounded and taken into custody. His condition was not immediately known.
The doors of the building were locked and agents in full tactical gear and brandishing automatic and heavy-caliber weapons were deployed around the complex's Lafayette Square to the north.
The normal throng of tourists were pushed back well away from the building.
A White House official said "no one within or associated with the White House was injured, and everyone in the White House is safe and accounted for."
"The president has been made aware of the situation."
Another official said that Vice President Joe Biden had been at the White House complex at the time of the shooting, but was "secure."
