white house

The Secret Service shot a man who approached a White House checkpoint with a gun on Friday, CNN reports.

The man was shot once in the abdomen and taken into custody after he opened fire near the White House. His condition is unknown.

President Barack Obama was away and Vice President Joe Biden was secured inside the White house until the all clear was given.

The White House was placed on lockdown and reporters were ushered off the property until the threat was neutralized. The lockdown is now lifted.

An earlier report said the suspect had opened fire on the White House complex, but it was not immediately clear what happened.

The U.S. Park Police said Friday a shooting had occurred in close vicinity to the White House.

“Shooting on W. Executive Dr. PIO en route to 17th and Pennsylvania,” the law enforcement agency tweeted. Source

The shooting was the latest incident in a series of security breaches that have embarrassed the Obama administration.