Man Fatally Shoots Himself in Front of White House

The Secret Service said that the shots didn’t seem to be aimed at the White House.

Representational image of the White House. 

(Photo: Reuters)

A man fatally shot himself in the head along the north fence of the White House on Saturday, the US Secret Service said in a statement.

Authorities were withholding the man’s name until relatives were notified.

The Secret Service said the man approached the White House fence along Pennsylvania Avenue shortly before noon EST, pulled out a handgun and fired several shots.

According to ANI, the Secret Service also confirmed that the man had no other injuries on his body other than the bullet wound, hence it appears the shots were not directed towards the White House.

The ANI report, quoting Washington Post, also says that about 100 people were present in front of the White House, when the gunman committed suicide.

President Donald Trump was in Florida at the time and was briefed on the incident, a White House spokesman said.

Pedestrian and vehicular traffic around the White House were blocked by police, which is routine in such incidents.

The Washington Metropolitan Police Department will lead the investigation of the shooting, the Secret Service said in the statement.

(With inputs from Reuters)

(This is a developing copy and will be updated with further details.)