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The United States Secret Service is investigating a shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in the vicinity of Lafayette Park, located across from the White House in Washington D.C.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight, when agents from the Secret Service responded to reports of gunfire in the area, as reported by EFE.
"Shortly after midnight, agents from the Secret Service responded to a report of gunfire in the vicinity of Lafayette Park," confirmed Anthony Guglielmi, the agency's spokesperson, via social media.
The authorities conducted a "thorough search" both in the park and in the surrounding areas, but were unable to locate any suspects. There were no injuries reported in the incident.
The authorities are conducting an active search for a person of interest linked to a fleeing vehicle, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington D.C. and the United States Park Police, ABC News reported ABC News.
As a precautionary measure, several nearby streets were temporarily closed, including H Street NW, I Street NW, and 16th Street NW.
Guglielmi specified that the normal activities of the White House were not affected, although an elevated security posture was implemented in the area. President Donald Trump was at the presidential residence during the incident.
The Lafayette Square is a historic park of approximately 28,191 square meters managed by the National Park Service, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970. At the time of the incident, the park was surrounded by ongoing renovation work.
The incident occurs in a context of heightened security alert in the federal capital.
The most serious and recent incident was the attack on November 26, 2025, when a Afghan citizen opened fire on members of the National Guard who were patrolling near the Farragut West metro station, just a few blocks from the White House, resulting in the death of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and leaving Sergeant Andrew Wolfe seriously injured.
The investigation into the shooting this Sunday is still ongoing, and so far, the reason behind the shots has not been determined.
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