Goa, May 24 -- A suspected gunman opened fire near the White House on Saturday evening before being shot dead by Secret Service agents during a dramatic exchange of gunfire that triggered panic and a heavy security lockdown in Washington DC.

The shooting happened shortly before 6 pm local time near the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, close to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. According to officials, the suspect suddenly pulled a revolver from his bag and began firing near a security checkpoint outside the White House complex.

Secret Service officers stationed nearby reacted within seconds and returned fire, striking the suspect during the exchange. The man, later identified by US media as 21-year-old Nasi...