The US Secret Service said on Monday its officers confronted an armed and "suspicious individual" near the White House who later fired at them before fleeing on foot and being shot by law enforcement.

"US Secret Service personnel are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, DC. One individual was shot by law enforcement; their condition is currently unknown," the Secret Service Office of Communications had said in a statement on X/Twitter following the incident.

The White House was briefly locked down on Monday afternoon.

Agents patrolling the outer perimeter of the White House complex identified a person who Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn said was a "suspicious individual that appeared to have a firearm."

He briefly fled on foot after being approached by Secret Service officers and fired in their direction, Quinn said at a press conference.

Secret Service then fired at the suspect, who was hit and subsequently hospitalized, Quinn added.

Vice President JD Vance's motorcade transited through the area "not long before" the incident, Quinn said. There was no indication that the suspect intended to approach Vance's motorcade, the Secret Service deputy director said.

A juvenile bystander was hit by the suspect but did not receive any life-threatening injuries and was being treated at a hospital, Quinn added.

Agents observed "visual print of a firearm" and considered the individual's behavior suspicious when he was spotted, Quinn told reporters.

The suspect was not on the White House property, Quinn said.

Law enforcement has been on alert in recent days in the US capital following a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner late last month, over which a man has been arrested.

Quinn was asked if Monday's incident was linked to "other recent attempts" on President Donald Trump's life. Trump was in the White House when this incident unfolded.

"Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don't know, but we will find out," Quinn said.

The Secret Service deputy director confirmed that a weapon was recovered from the suspect but did not elaborate.

The Secret Service said earlier its personnel were on the scene of the officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, DC.

The DC Police Department was handling the probe.