10 August 2020. ABC News: President Donald Trump was rushed out of the White House briefing room Monday evening and later said the Secret Service had shot someone nearby.
After he returned to continue his coronavirus response briefing, Trump said he had been taken to the Oval Office by the Secret Service and told reporters that law enforcement had shot someone outside the White House.
“There was a shooting, law enforcement shot someone, seems to be someone, and the suspect is on the way to the hospital,” Trump said as the briefing restarted following the sudden, but brief, lockdown.
A senior official told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl the shooting happened on 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. The suspect opened fired on a non-White House employee and a Uniformed Secret Service officer returned fire, according to the official.
The Secret Service can confirm there has been an officer involved shooting at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Ave. Law enforcement officials are on the scene. More information to follow.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) August 10, 2020
According to another source familiar with the matter, the Secret Service called for an ambulance at 5:55 p.m. ET and one came shortly after. The suspect, an adult male, was transported to a hospital in critical condition with one gunshot wound to the upper body, the source said.
In addition to the Secret Service, the Metropolitan Police Department was assisting with the investigation.
Trump said “from what I understand” the suspect was armed. He said the suspect was shot outside the White House grounds but close to the fence.
“It’s unfortunate that this is the world but the world has always been a dangerous place. It’s not something that’s unique,” he added.
The president was taken out of the briefing room and into the Oval Office for about nine minutes.
“We don’t know” if the suspect mentioned a name, he said. “It might not have had anything to do with me.”
Trump said he “didn’t even think about not coming back” to brief reporters.
Responding to a question from reporters, Trump said he does not think the suspect “breached anything.”
“It was on the outside grounds, so I don’t believe anything was breached. I asked that question. They were relatively far away,” Trump said.
