A developing security incident has sent the White House press corps scrambling for cover Wednesday, after multiple journalists on site reported hearing what sounded like gunfire erupt near the presidential compound.
Video captured by ABC News senior correspondent Selina Wang shows the journalist taking shelter amid a rapid series of loud bangs that echoed across the White House North Lawn. In a post on X following the incident, Wang confirmed that reporting teams were ordered to run immediately to the White House press briefing room, where they remained sheltered as authorities assessed the situation.
As of the latest update, law enforcement officials have not confirmed the source of the reported gunshots, nor have they verified whether an active threat to the White House or those inside remains. The United States Secret Service, which is the federal agency tasked with protecting the president and the White House complex, confirmed in an official statement to CBS News — the U.S. partner of the BBC — that agents were responding to reports of shots fired at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, a block adjacent to the White House grounds.
Spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi stated the agency was working alongside on-site personnel to cross-verify details of the reports. Visual footage from the scene captured by Agence France-Presse via Getty Images shows uniformed police officers sprinting across the area near the White House as the response unfolded. The BBC confirmed it had reached out to the Secret Service, White House officials, and local Washington D.C. police for additional comment and further details on the incident.
This is an active breaking news story that is being updated in real time as new information becomes available from law enforcement and on-site correspondents. Readers can access instant updates on the incident via the BBC News mobile app for smartphones and tablets, or by following the official @BBCBreaking account on X for real-time alerts.