The White House has reportedly been placed on lockdown after two U.S. National Guard members were shot dead nearby on Wednesday, sparking heightened security concerns.
According to reports, the incident occurred near the Farragut metro station and comes amid a controversial troop deployment to Washington ordered by President Donald Trump.
Providing an update on the shooting in a post on X, the DC Metropolitan Police said they were at the crime scene and advised people to avoid the area.
The police did not confirm whether there were casualties, but law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that two U.S. National Guard members had been shot.
A security source also told the New York Times that only one National Guard member was gunned.
As of the time this report was filed, details of the incident remain unclear.
Reacting to the shooting, Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, said Trump had been briefed.
“The White House is aware and actively monitoring this tragic situation,” Leavitt said in a statement.
Recall that Trump deployed National Guard troops some months ago in Washington, D.C., as part of his anti-crime crackdown in the nation’s capital.
The move has been criticized by some state governors, calling it “cruel and purposefully inflammatory.”
