Thaindian News

Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) Shots were reportedly fired between the White House and the Washington Monument, about a kilometre away, but officials did’t think there is a link to the executive mansion.

“I think, obviously, the thing that makes it of interest is simply the location, you know, a bit like real estate,” US Park Police spokesman Sgt. David Schlosser told reporters late Friday night.

“The fact that this occurred outside the White House area. At this point, we don’t think that there’s any link to the White House,” he said.

The incident was reported shortly after 9 p.m., the spokesman said. Responding officers found an abandoned vehicle in the vicinity of the reported incident and were searching it “trying to figure out what happened.”

Schlosser noted that “no evidence” has been recovered to indicate shots were actually fired.

CNN cited an unnamed official of the Secret Service charged with protecting the first family as saying that gunshots rang out as two cars sped on the National Mall.

Agents stationed on 16th Street heard the shots, then saw the cars heading west on Constitution Avenue, the official said.

At least one witness saw that someone had “jumped out of the vehicle and ran,” but no one was captured, the official said.

An AK-47-style rifle was recovered in or near the abandoned vehicle, the official said.

But in a brief appearance before reporters, Schlosser said he was not aware of any gun having been found.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)