White House Placed on Lockdown after Reports of Gunfire

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May 24, 2026 #breaking White House news, #FBI White House response, #gunfire Washington DC, #Kash Patel White House, #Pennsylvania Avenue shooting, #Secret Service investigation, #shots fired near White House, #White House journalists shelter, #White House lockdown, #White House security incident

Ololade Adeyanju/

The White House was temporarily placed on lockdown on Saturday evening after reports of multiple gunshots near the presidential complex triggered a major security response involving the United States Secret Service and the FBI.

According to officials and journalists on the scene, what sounded like dozens of gunshots erupted near the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, a short distance from the White House grounds.

Reporters gathered on the North Lawn were immediately ordered to take cover as heavily armed Secret Service agents rushed across the area.

Several journalists described chaotic scenes as agents shouted “get down” and escorted members of the press corps into the White House briefing room, where they were instructed to shelter in place while security personnel secured the area.

FBI Director, Kash Patel, confirmed federal agents were assisting the Secret Service in responding to the incident and investigating reports of shots fired near the White House perimeter.

The Secret Service also acknowledged it was working to corroborate witness accounts from personnel deployed around the scene.

Witnesses, including correspondents from major American television networks, reported hearing between 20 and 30 gunshots shortly after 6pm local time.

Some said the sounds appeared to originate from the direction of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, located adjacent to the White House complex.

At the time of the incident, President Donald Trump was reportedly inside the White House.

There was no immediate indication that the president was in danger, and authorities had not confirmed any injuries or arrests as of Saturday night.

Television footage and social media videos showed Secret Service personnel carrying rifles moving rapidly across the North Lawn while access to parts of the White House complex was restricted during the investigation.