Attack type Shooting Non-fatal injuries 1 Date 20 May 2016 | Weapons Firearm Perpetrator Jesse Olivieri Total number of deaths 0 | |
Location White House, Washington, D.C., United States | ||
The 2016 White House shooting occurred on May 20, 2016, when Jesse Olivieri attacked the White House security checkpoint. The Secret Service shot and arrested him. After the incident, Secret Service authorities closed the White House for 45 minutes and also blocked nearby streets. Primary investigations showed that there is no connection with terrorists.
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The incident
On the afternoon of May 20, a suspected man with a firearm approached the White House security checkpoint at 17th and E street. Secret Service agents shot him in the stomach and transported him to George Washington University Hospital. Officer of security forces gave a verbal warning to stop and drop his firearm. David Lacovetti, Secret Service spokesman, said, "when the subject failed to comply with the verbal commands, he was shot once by a secret service agent and taken into custody." Ranjit Singh, the incident witness, explained "white guy" with a gun in his right hand approaching police who were yelling at him to drop it.
After the incident, the Secret Service closed the White House for about 45 minutes. Also, the forces blocked streets between 16th and 17th Streets NW and a mall near the Washington Monument. At the time of the incident, Barack Obama was not in the White House and was playing golf in Maryland. But Joe Biden, Vice President, was in the White House at that time and was moved to a secure location during the incident. The White House official stated no one was injured at the White House.
Post-arrest investigations
The law enforcement official identified Jesse Olivieri as the White House shooter. He is from Ashland, Pennsylvania and 30 years old. The officials found bullets for a .22 caliber weapon in his car near of the incident location. According to primary investigations, there is not any relation with terrorists.
The hospital spokeswoman, Susan Griffiths, declared the wounded attacker remains in critical condition.