In a statement, the Secret Service said: “At approximately 11.46am, a white male suffered a self-inflicted gun-shot wound to the head outside the North White House fence line. The subject is deceased.

“The subject approached the vicinity of the North White House fence line and removed a concealed handgun and fired several rounds, none of which appear at this time to have been directed towards the White House.”

The identity of the man was not released, the Guardian reports. The Washington DC police department, which was leading the investigation, said it was “working to notify next of kin”.

Donald Trump was not in residence at the time of the incident. The president and his wife Melania were in Florida, staying at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property. Trump spent the morning at one of his golf courses in the state before flying back to Washington to attend an evening event.

The White House deputy press secretary, Hogan Gidley, told reporters: “We’re aware of the incident. The president has been briefed.”

The White House was placed on lockdown when the shooting occurred. Members of the press tweeted that they were sheltering in the briefing room.

The Secret Service said “no other persons were injured as a result of this incident”.

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