White House Placed On Lockdown After Nearby Shooting
WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- Security scare outside the White House. The Secret Service says an agent shot an armed man right outside the White House grounds when he refused to drop his weapon---forcing a lockdown.
Ava-joye Burnett has the latest.
You can imagine the chaos when you hear a gunshot near the White House. It made for a drastic afternoon in the district and forced the White House to be placed on lockdown for about an hour.
It was not the scene tourists were expecting: from the lawn to the roof of the White House, sharpshooters had guns drawn.
"All of a sudden, I looked over and I just heard shooting," said Bridget Lord.
Authorities say at about 3 p.m. Friday a man walked up to a White House security checkpoint on E Street, pulled a gun and then ignored numerous orders to put it down. That's when an agent shot him.
The president was not at the White House at the time, but the vice president was. Staffers say he was placed in a secure location.
"You could hear his radio going, `Shots fired, shots fired. Suspect down, suspect down," said Akil Patterson, a Baltimore man.
Patterson says he was on his way into the White House to receive an award when chaos broke out.
"There were just so many cop cars just flying down, trying to shut down traffic," Patterson said.
Sources told CBS News the suspect---Jesse Oliveri from Pennsylvania---wanted to die a so-called "suicide by cop."
The suspect was taken to George Washington Hospital in critical condition. We've learned he is speaking with police.
A joint statement was released on the shooting incident, saying in part:
At this time, based on a preliminary investigation, there is no known nexus to terrorism. However, an investigation continues into the motives behind his actions. The investigation is ongoing, and will continue to follow all logical leads. All involved agencies are working closely with the United States Attorney's Office of the District of Columbia on this investigation.
President Obama was immediately told about the situation. A White House official says no one inside or near the White House was injured and that everyone inside was safe and accounted for.
