Man in custody after gunshots near White House

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A man with a gun was shot and wounded outside the southwest gate of the White House on Wednesday, sending the Secret Service and other security officials scrambling.

Security personnel approached the man, who was armed with a pistol, outside the southwest gate of the White House. He was shot in the leg, and never entered the grounds of the presidential residence.

Police closed off the south side of the White House and Secret Service agents armed with automatic rifles took up positions around the presidential residence as a security alert went into effect about 11:30 a.m. Monday. Secret Service officials said shots were fired, the man was wounded and has been taken into custody.

President Bush was believed to be inside the White House during the alert.

Pennsylvania Avenue, the street that runs in front of the White House, was closed to motorists after a Colorado man fired numerous shots at the White House in October 1994.

The White House
United States Secret Service

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