Trump evacuated from presser after armed man is shot near White House, returns and asks 'Do I seem rattled?'
On Monday, August 10, President Donald Trump was abruptly evacuated from a press briefing just minutes after he began speaking because of a shooting outside of the White House. An aide reportedly approached the president and spoke to him. Following that, Trump and the aide exited the room. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought were also reportedly taken out of the room. The briefing room was placed on lockdown immediately after the president exited.
According to a report, “There was an actual shooting, and somebody has been taken to the hospital. I don’t know the condition of the person,” Trump said after he returned to the White House briefing room shortly afterward. He further said, “It was the suspect that was shot,” adding that no one else was injured. He also said that it was his understanding that the suspect had been armed. The shooting took place near the White House fence, Trump said.
According to NBC News, law enforcement officials said that a man was shot in the chest and taken to George Washington University Hospital while unconscious. The Secret Service, in a statement, further said it could “confirm there has been an officer-involved shooting at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Ave. Law enforcement officials are on the scene,” adding that more information will follow. 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue are just about 0.2 miles away from the White House.
According to the Associated Press, law enforcement officials were still trying to determine the suspect's motive. The report further said that according to the District of Columbia fire department, the man suffered serious or possibly critical injuries. Authorities are reportedly investigating whether the individual has a history of mental illness.
Trump, following his return, said that he was not shaken by the incident. “Do I seem rattled?” he asked. “The world has been, you look back over the centuries, the world has been a dangerous place, a very dangerous place.” Trump also said that he was escorted to the Oval Office by a secret service agent and that the White House was placed on lockdown following the incident. After taking questions on the shooting, Trump proceeded to brief the reporters on the state of the economy.
This incident comes in the wake of an overnight shooting on Saturday, August 8, in Washington D.C., where a 17-year-old was killed and 20 others were injured. The incident took place at 33rd Street and Dubois Place at around 12:30 a.m. where over 100 people had gathered, according to D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham.
The police chief further said that during the gathering, a dispute broke out, and “multiple weapons were produced” by at least three individuals and they opened fire into the crowd. “Sadly several people who have no regard for human life opened fire at what had been people together, enjoying themselves,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters.