A wind of concern briefly blew over Donald Trump's daily press conference on Monday, when the President of the United States was swiftly escorted from his desk and taken to safety by his bodyguards following a incident outside the White House. "The police shot someone," Donald Trump explained on his return to reporters after a few minutes of interruption. "It was outside" the White House fence, he said.
When asked whether this suspect was armed, the president replied: "from what I understand, yes". "And the suspect is on his way to the hospital," he added. "The Secret Service can confirm that an agent used his weapon at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue", a crossroads very close to the White House, tweeted this elite police in charge of protection high American personalities. "Police officials are at the scene. More information to come."
"The world has always been a dangerous place. It's not something special"
A bicycle belonging to a member of the Secret Service was on the ground surrounded by police cordon on a sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue, near the White House, noted an AFP reporter. Police cordoned off a large perimeter around the White House. Police cars were parked near the scene and armed police patrolled the Lafayette Square park in front of the White House, AFP journalists said.
The President of the United States was giving his daily press briefing when an agent in charge of his security approached. "Excuse me?" Donald Trump asked him, interrupting himself, before calmly leaving the room, followed by his team, after the agent had whispered explanations in his ear. "Shaken? (...) The world has always been a dangerous place. It's not something special," replied the Republican to a question on his return. "It may have nothing to do with me," he said.