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WASHINGTON - A child was struck by gunfire and is recovering at a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following a chaotic officer-involved shooting near 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Northwest Washington, D.C., according to Deputy Director of the U.S. Secret Service Matthew Quinn.

The fast-moving confrontation triggered a brief White House lockdown and sent federal law enforcement scrambling into protective action as gunfire erupted just blocks from one of the most heavily secured areas in the country.

WHAT WE KNOW
Deputy Director of the U.S. Secret Service Matthew Quinn said during a press briefing that the incident began around 3:30 p.m., when uniformed officers responded to the area after a plainclothes officer requested backup upon observing a "suspicious" individual believed to be armed.

Quinn reported that the suspect fled on foot before suddenly turning and drawing a firearm, then firing toward officers.

Preliminary findings indicate that a bullet fired by the suspect struck the juvenile, leaving the child injured in the crossfire of the violent exchange.

Officers immediately returned fire, striking the suspect, who is now hospitalized and recovering as well.

The intensity of the situation prompted an urgent security response across the area, including a temporary lockdown at the White House, according to The Associated Press. Secret Service agents quickly moved reporters from outside into the briefing room to ensure their safety as the situation unfolded nearby.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who was attending an event focused on small businesses, remained inside and continued the program without interruption, the AP reported.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW
Officials have not released further details about the identity of the suspect, leaving key questions unanswered as investigators work to piece together the events that led to the shooting.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to examine how the confrontation escalated so quickly and how a child was caught in the gunfire near a high-security federal zone.