Five Shot in Logan Circle Near the White House as Police Hunt Gunman

At least five people were shot in Washington’s Logan Circle neighbourhood on Thursday morning, about a mile from the White House, in an attack that brought a heavy police response to the heart of the capital and left a gunman at large.

At least one person was killed and several others were wounded, according to local media reports, although police had not confirmed the number of casualties as the situation developed. The shooting was reported shortly after 8am local time near 15th and P Streets Northwest, in a busy residential and commercial district roughly 1.6 kilometres north of the White House.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said officers were responding to an active shooting and urged the public to avoid the area. Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were called in to assist, and streets around the scene were closed while nearby buildings were placed under precautionary security measures.

What happened in Logan Circle

The gunfire was reported at and outside a VIDA Fitness club in the 1500 block of 15th Street Northwest, according to DC Council member Brooke Pinto, who said in a post on social media that multiple people had been shot and urged residents to stay away from the area.

Police said the shooting was reported at several locations in the vicinity, and officers at the scene said limited information was immediately available, including the precise locations where the shots were fired and details about the victims. “MPD is on the scene of an active shooting in the area of 15th and P Street, Northwest. MPD’s Emergency Response Team is on scene. Avoid the area,” the department said in a public alert.

Initial reports put the number of people shot at four. The Associated Press reported later in the morning that at least five people had been shot. Reuters reported that at least one person had been killed and multiple people wounded, citing local media, while a police spokesperson said the department was unable to confirm the number of people either wounded or killed. The identities and conditions of those shot had not been released.

The police response

Large numbers of officers in tactical gear poured into the neighbourhood, and the MPD’s Emergency Response Team was deployed to the scene. A shelter-in-place order was issued for large portions of Logan Circle and the nearby Dupont Circle area, and some schools were placed on lockdown while officers worked to secure the area.

Police said at first that a suspect was barricaded inside a building near the site of the shooting. Later reports said the shooter had not been apprehended and that an intensive manhunt was under way, with officers searching the area and federal agents assisting. The shifting accounts reflected how fast the situation was developing in the hours after the shooting.

No motive had been established, and the identity of the gunman had not been publicly confirmed. There is no verified evidence that the White House, President Donald Trump or any federal official was the intended target, and the incident was being investigated as a shooting in the capital rather than an established attack against the presidency.

A neighbourhood on edge

Logan Circle is a busy, mixed residential and commercial area within walking distance of the White House, lined with historic row houses, restaurants and shops. It has seen previous shootings in recent years, although none as large as this one in the immediate vicinity of the presidential residence. Separate security incidents closer to the White House have also occurred in 2025 and 2026.

The shooting comes at a time when violent crime has been under close national scrutiny. A Justice Department survey published this month found that violent crime fell sharply across the United States last year, although the figures are preliminary and the survey’s methods were redesigned. In New York, police this week announced a 17-year-old charged in the Bronx killing of Javits Frimpong, a 15-year-old shot on his way to school.

What happens next

Police said the investigation and the search for the suspect were continuing, with further updates expected as officers established the sequence of events and the precise locations involved. Residents were told to avoid the area around 15th Street between the 1500 block and P Street while the scene remained active.

The manhunt could take time. In Tennessee earlier this month, a manhunt that lasted nine days ended only when an escaped murderer was captured in Missouri, a reminder that searches of this kind can stretch on even with large numbers of officers deployed. For now, the priority in Logan Circle is finding the gunman and establishing what happened in the minutes after 8am.

Frequently asked questions

How many people were shot in Logan Circle?

The Associated Press reported that at least five people were shot on Thursday morning, 12 November 2026, near 15th and P Streets Northwest. Local media reported at least one person was killed. Police had not confirmed the casualty figures.

Where did the shooting happen?

The shooting was reported at and outside a VIDA Fitness club in Logan Circle, about a mile north of the White House in Washington, DC. Police also responded to reports of gunfire at several locations in the area.

Has the suspect been caught?

No. Police said at first that a suspect was barricaded inside a nearby building. Later reports said the shooter had not been apprehended and a manhunt was under way. No motive or identity had been publicly confirmed.