A Secret Service agent opened fire on an armed man near the Washington Monument on May 4, 2026, prompting authorities to lock down the White House and portions of the National Mall. The Secret Service confirmed that an agent discharged a weapon after encountering a person with a gun in close proximity to the protected area surrounding the White House complex.

The individual who was shot was taken into custody and transported for medical treatment. Authorities secured the surrounding area as a precaution while the incident was investigated. No Secret Service agents or bystanders were reported injured in the exchange.

The lockdown affected access to several landmarks in the heart of Washington, D.C., including areas near the National Mall. Visitors and pedestrians in the vicinity were temporarily held in place as law enforcement assessed the scene and ensured there were no additional threats.

The Secret Service has jurisdiction over an expansive security perimeter around the White House and routinely coordinates with other federal and local law enforcement agencies. Incidents involving the discharge of a weapon by Secret Service agents near the White House are rare but have occurred previously when individuals approached restricted zones while armed.

Investigators were working to determine the circumstances that led the individual to approach the restricted area with a firearm, including any possible motive. The incident remained under investigation as of May 5, 2026.