A man from Texas was wounded in a shooting involving U.S. Secret Service officers, after he allegedly shot at them near the Washington Monument on Monday afternoon, according to the agency’s deputy director.
The suspect was later identified as Michael Marx, 45, of Texas, D.C. police told WTOP Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Secret Service, the shooting happened at 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW in D.C., near the Sidney R. Yates building where the Forest Service is headquartered.
A child, described only as a juvenile, was also struck by a bullet during the exchange of gunfire, Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn said during a news conference.
Quinn said plainclothes Secret Service officers noticed a person who appeared to have a firearm while patrolling around the outer perimeter of the White House complex around 3:30 p.m.
They alerted uniformed Secret Service officers who attempted to approach the man, later identified as Marx.
“Upon making contact, that individual fled briefly on foot, withdrew a firearm and fired in the direction of our agents and officers. They returned fire and engaged,” Quinn said.
Marx was hospitalized after being shot multiple times; his condition has not been released.
Police said the child was transported to a hospital for treatment of injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Quinn couldn’t say whether he was struck when the suspect fired or by return fire from officers.
The Secret Service said its officers were not injured.
The shooting happened just blocks from the White House, which was briefly put under lockdown as law enforcement investigated.
“Not long before this shooting occurred, the vice president’s motorcade did transit through this area,” Quinn said.
He said there is no indication Marx was targeting the motorcade.
“President Trump was not in any danger, and there currently is no known nexus between the incident and the White House,” Quinn said in a written statement.
About 45 minutes after the shooting, D.C. police said the scene was “secure” in a social media post. Their department will investigate the Secret Service officers’ use of force, as is standard procedure in such cases.
WTOP’s Alan Etter, who reported from the scene, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.