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The North Lawn of the White House complex was cleared by the US Secret Service on Saturday evening (local time) after reports of apparent gunshots near the area triggered a security response, according to ABC News.
The reported gunshots triggered a temporary lockdown and prompted a quick response from the Secret Service, CNN reported. The Secret Service said it was investigating reports of shots fired near the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, located close to the White House grounds. "We are aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW and are working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available," the agency said in a statement posted on X. https://x.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/2058318430139240542?s=20 FBI Director Kash Patel also confirmed that federal authorities were responding to the incident. Patel said in a post on X, "FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds - we will update the public as we're able." https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2058318050240184514?s=20 According to reports, countersnipers were also deployed on the White House rooftop. The incident comes nearly a month after the shooting linked to the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Earlier this month, US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro released footage related to the alleged assassination attempt against US President Donald Trump. In a post on X, Pirro said, "Today, we are releasing video already provided to US District Court showing Cole Allen shoot a U.S. Secret Service officer during his attempt to assassinate the President at the White House Correspondents' Dinner." Pirro also rejected speculation that the shooting involved friendly fire. "There is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly fire," she said. According to Pirro, the footage also showed suspect Cole Allen "casing the area in the Hilton Hotel the day before the attack," indicating that investigators believed the incident was planned in advance. Pirro said her office and federal investigators are continuing to pursue the case aggressively. "My office along with the @FBI will continue this extensive investigation to bring Cole Allen to justice," she said. Meanwhile, on Monday, US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the Department of Justice has filed three federal charges against Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, as the investigation continues. (ANI)
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