A man shot himself in the head in front of the White House at just before noon Saturday, a Secret Service spokesperson has told CNN.
"Secret Service personnel are responding to reports of a person who allegedly suffered a self-inflicted gun shot wound along the north fence line of @WhiteHouse," the Secret Service tweeted as the incident unfolded.
The man approached the fence line, removed a concealed handgun and fired several rounds, none of which appear to have been aimed at the White House, a Secret Service spokesperson said. The man has since died; no one else was injured in the incident, the spokesperson said.
The victim suffered a single gunshot wound, and Secret Service personnel did not fire any shots, Secret Service spokeswoman Cathy Milhoan said.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, at the time and are scheduled to return to Washington on Saturday afternoon for the annual Gridiron Club Dinner.
"We are aware of the incident," deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said. "The President has been briefed. I refer you to the Secret Service for any more information."
The Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department is taking the lead in the investigation, the Secret Service spokesperson said. Law enforcement authorities have identified the victim but are withholding the man's name pending notification of his family, the spokesperson said.
The Secret Service also tweeted that pedestrian and vehicular traffic around the White House has been affected by the incident.
The-CNN-Wire
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