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Armed Man Shot, Critically Injured By Secret Service Agent Near White House

The White House went on lockdown on Friday afternoon, after shots were reportedly fired near the building.

A US Secret Service agent shot a white male on Friday, after the man brandished a weapon near the White House and did not respond to officers’ commands to put it down, both CNN and NBC reported. The man was shot in the chest, law enforcement officials told those networks.

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The DC Fire Department reported on Twitter that a single person was injured and had been transferred to a local hospital with “critical injuries.”

The US Park Police confirmed via Twitter just after 3pm that a shooting occurred on West Executive Drive, near 17th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, just steps away from the White House lawn.

President Obama was not at the White House when the incident occurred on Friday. He had departed the building just after 1pm for a golf outing at Andrews Air Force Base, according to a local NBC reporter

Armed police and Secret Service officers surrounded the White House perimeter Friday afternoon and a helicopter circled overhead, as officers investigate the incident.

Law enforcement officials are now examining the victim’s car near the White House campus.

This story is breaking and will be updated.