In the shadow of the White House, a scene that should have been defined by rigid security and calm order instead dissolved into chaos and fear. Guardsmen who moments earlier stood as symbols of protection suddenly became victims, as gunfire shattered the illusion of safety at one of the most fortified locations in America. Witnesses watched in disbelief as emergency vehicles flooded the streets, barricades went up, and officers shouted for bystanders to take cover or move back.
Authorities now face the agonizing task of sorting fact from confusion. Families of those stationed nearby wait for calls, dreading the worst, praying for better news. Investigators are racing to reconstruct every second of the attack: where the shooter came from, how they escaped, and whether more danger still lurks. Until answers arrive, Washington stands tense, its most guarded doorstep marked by unanswered questions and fresh blood on the pavements.