Donald Trump abruptly ends press conference after shooting near White House
The US Secret Service has revealed what happened in the shooting incident that caused Donald Trump to abruptly end his media briefing before he was whisked away by a member of his security detail.
World
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Meghan, Harry pushed further away by The Firm
- Prince Andrew dragged deeper into Epstein child sex scandal
The US Secret Service has detailed the terrifying moment a man allegedly threatened one of its agents, resulting in a shooting that caused President Donald Trump to abruptly end a press conference.
Mr Trump was dramatically whisked out of his afternoon media briefing by a member of his security detail after an officer shot a man outside the White House.
The Secret Service said the incident unfolded after a 51-year-old man approached one of its agents and said he had a weapon.
“The suspect then turned around, ran aggressively towards the officer, and in a drawing motion, withdrew an object from his clothing,” the Secret Service said in a statement.
“He then crouched into a shooter’s stance as if about to fire a weapon. The Secret Service officer discharged his weapon striking the individual in the torso.
“Officers immediately rendered first aid to the suspect and D.C. Fire and EMS were called to the scene.”
The White House complex “was not breached” during the incident, and both the man and the Secret Service agent were transported to local hospitals, the statement read.
It said the Secret Service Office of Professional Responsibility would conduct an internal review of the officer’s conduct.
Mr Trump was a few minutes into his regular afternoon coronavirus briefing when he was abruptly removed from the press briefing room.
Reporters gathered in the room were also briefly ordered out of the area as it was locked down.
Fox News reporter John Roberts said he was outside on the White House lawn when he heard “two pops” that could have been gunfire.
He also reported that there had been two shots fired at nearby 17th St and Pennsylvania Avenue.
“There was a shooting outside the White House and it seems to be very much under control,” Mr Trump said when he returned to the briefing room.
“There was an actual shooting and somebody’s been taken to the hospital.
“It seems the person was shot by the Secret Service.
“The suspect is now on the way to the hospital.”
Mr Trump said: “It might not have had anything to do with me,.”
The White House and surrounds have been heavily fortified in recent weeks after civil unrest and riots that have continued across the country in the wake of the George Floyd killing.
Two meter high fences and concrete barriers now surround the previously public space of Lafayette Park, adjacent to the White House, where the president lives with his family.
“As you know the fencing they have put up is very powerful,” Mr Trump said.
“But it was outside the White House.”
He thanked the Secret Service and described them as “the best of the best” and said he felt “very safe” inside the White House.
“They just wanted me to step aside for a little while,” he said.
Mr Trump appeared calm after the incident, returning to the briefing room to continue his press conference.
“Do I seem rattled?” he said when he was asked if he had been frightened.
“It’s unfortunate… but the world has always been a dangerous place.”
Meanwhile, a potential upcoming visit to the US by Prime Minister Scott Morrison appears to have been shelved.
Mr Morrison had earlier been invited by Mr Trump to attend the G7 summit, which was tentatively scheduled to be held at the presidential retreat, Camp David, next month.
But Mr Trump said he was likely to postpone the summit until after November’s election.
“I am much more included to do it sometime after the election,” Mr Trump said.
“We were going to do it in September.
“We could do it through teleconference or we could do it through a meeting but… why don’t we do it sometime after the election?
“It’s very important.”
Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defense Minister Linda Reynolds were required to quarantine for 14 days after a brief visit to Washington last month to meet their US counterparts.