A 27-year-old Indiana man was shot by Secret Service agents outside the White House perimeter just after midnight on Saturday. According to sources, Indiana police had notified authorities in D.C. that the man was driving into the area to commit suicide, and intelligence bulletins indicated he intended to die via police shooting, according to the New York Times.   

Earlier that day, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department relayed information about Andrew Dawson’s plan to the Secret Service, who located his vehicle from the report on 17th and F Streets, near the Eisenhower Executive Building. Shortly after the discovery, agents spotted an individual matching Dawson’s description, apparently moving north towards Pennsylvania Avenue. That’s when the armed encounter unfolded near the intersection of 17th and G streets, approximately a block west of the White House’s main entrance. 

According to Secret Service agents, Dawson was armed with a knife and what appeared to be a firearm that was later reported to be a BB gun. After noncompliance with multiple commands to drop his weapons, the Secret Service reports that they were forced to open fire on Dawson when he “reached toward his waist,” Fox News learned. 

“As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel… The suspect was rushed to an area hospital and his condition is unknown,” the agency reported in a statement. 

CNN reports that a rifle was found in the car according to their sources

No injuries to Secret Service personnel have been reported, and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department will be leading an investigation into the shooting as the primary agency responsible for use-of-force incidents within the District of Columbia. As of Sunday, no additional information or details on the investigation were available. 

President Donald Trump was not scheduled to be at the White House as he was reportedly spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate. 

This incident underscores the tragic mental health epidemic society faces today and why we should be focused on identifying and providing help for individuals who are suffering rather than using their illness as a bully pulpit to push an agenda. Just as gun control laws are of no concern to criminals bent on murder, neither will they stop someone intent on taking their own life. 

If you or anyone you know is suffering from depression or thoughts of suicide, help is available, and life is worth living. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).