Police in Washington, DC, have said at least five people were shot on a busy street in the city centre. The shooting happened on Thursday near Logan Circle, at the junction of 15th Street NW and P Street, police said in an update issued at 8:23am local time (13:28 GMT).
Police said the attacker had barricaded himself in the area. The incident took place roughly a mile from the White House, during the morning rush-hour commute. The condition of the victims was not immediately known.
Schools locked down as residents told to stay indoors
Schools close to the scene were placed on lockdown, and police issued a shelter-in-place order as law enforcement moved onto the block. Residents were urged to enter the nearest building, keep away from windows and remain indoors “until further notice.”
Also read: Man in custody near White House with guns, Secret Service says
Federal agents join response amid crime debate
Reporter John Holman, at the scene, described a “river of police cars” and local and federal officers wearing tactical gear. He said personnel from the FBI and Secret Service were also heading to the area.
The shooting comes as the administration of US President Donald Trump has made crime in the capital a central issue in his second term. That has included deploying National Guard troops across the city, a move Trump took after an official with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said he was assaulted in the early morning of August 2025. Trump also declared a crime emergency, which included taking federal control of the district’s local police force.
Several thousand Guard troops remain in the district, and Trump has regularly claimed their presence has reduced crime. Local officials have said the Guard has not been used in local law enforcement. The White House did not immediately respond to Thursday’s attack.
