Four people are in critical condition after being hit by a gun near the White House in Washington late Thursday afternoon local time. The episode happened just before 7 p.m. in Lafayette Square, northwest Washington DC, as a storm hit the US capital area.
Apparent lightning strike Lafayette Park NW. #DCsBravest on site treating and transporting 4 patients, all in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/1jyCh44Q2n
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) August 4, 2022
A spokesman for the fire and rescue services told local radio station WTOP that emergency teams had taken two men and two women to hospitals in the area. The fire department said the injuries were lifethreatening.
The police in the US capital did not disclose the identity of the victims. A camera from the area showed the park was closed to the public after the lightning struck and emergency vehicles were parked on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the north fence of the White House, the seat of the United States government.
The four adults were found just before 7 p.m. In the center of the park, in a grove about 30 meters southeast of the Andrew Jackson statue, fire department spokesman Vito Maggiolo said at a news conference Thursday evening. The Secret Service, which secures the White House perimeter, and the US Park Police provided first aid to the victims, which firefighters initially attributed to the victims’ survivability.
This appears to be video of the lightning strike outside the White House which critically injured 4 adults this afternoon.
Experts said 6 separate lightning strikes struck the exact same area within a split second. pic.twitter.com/Q06ibjsHMh
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) August 5, 2022
It wasn’t immediately clear why the victims were in the park at the time of the release, Maggiolo said. The fire department said police will investigate the incident. “Trees are not safe places,” Maggiolo said. “Anyone who takes shelter under a tree is in a very dangerous place,” he said.
4 people were critically injured by a lightning strike near the White House
It only took a single bolt in the area @fuchswetter pic.twitter.com/7QGqGz06zU
— Greg Diamond (@gdimeweather) August 5, 2022
Severe storms hit the Washington region, which is being warned of very intense heat and a temperature sensation of over 40C. The severe weather warnings and heat warning were lifted in the early evening as the storms weakened. Heavy rains, along with thunder and lightning, have hit parts of the region.