A United States Secret Service agent escorted President Donald Trump out of the White House Press Briefing Room rather suddenly this afternoon. It seems the Secret Service shot someone outside the White House and the move to interrupt the President’s briefing was made out of an abundance of caution.
The president has just been taken out of the briefing room and the briefing room doors have been locked pic.twitter.com/larxtfvcwt
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) August 10, 2020
The press pool noted that security had locked the doors to the press room, causing a bit of anxiety among the mainstream media types. Especially with the seriously kitted-up professionals outside ready for the worst.
Fortunately for everyone, the President returned a few minutes later and assured the press pool that the professionals at the Secret Service had everything under control.
When reporters asked Pres. Trump if the incident caused him concern, he replied, “I don’t know. Do I seem rattled?”
From CBS station WUSA:
Trump abruptly leaves press conference after shooting outside White House
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was abruptly escorted by a U.S. Secret Service agent out of the White House briefing room as he was beginning a coronavirus briefing Monday afternoon. He returned minutes later, saying there was a “shooting” outside the White House that was “under control.”
“There was an actual shooting and somebody’s been taken to the hospital,” Trump said. The president said the shots were fired by law enforcement, saying he believed the individual who was shot was armed. “It was the suspect who was shot,” Trump said.
Trump said he was escorted to the Oval Office by the agent. The White House was placed on lockdown following the incident.
The shooting took place near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue just blocks from the White House, according to a tweet from the Secret Service. Law enforcement officials were still trying to determine the suspect’s motive.
Obviously, more facts will come out soon about a possible motive behind the attack with a successful investigation.
Abrupt end to President Trump’s news conference. The president had been speaking less than 3 minutes. pic.twitter.com/kiJkSl33mc
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 10, 2020
More from WUSA:
The suspect was transferred to a local hospital, and the District of Columbia fire department said the man suffered serious or possibly critical injuries. Authorities were investigating whether the individual has a history of mental illness.
Trump praised the work of Secret Service personnel for their work in keeping him safe. Asked if he was shaken by the incident, Trump asked reporters: “I don’t know. Do I seem rattled?”
Clearly the suspect had mental issues if he thought he would triumph over the US Secret Service protective detail working in and around the White House. Or maybe the suspect spent too much time watching Olympus Has Fallen.
Either way, the President remains safe and sound.
For that, all of America should remain thankful.
Locked Briefing Room Doors. pic.twitter.com/nW6BlHfo2T
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) August 10, 2020