A Texas man is facing federal charges after a shooting near the Washington Monument left a teenage bystander injured and prompted a response from Secret Service agents. The injured teenager has since been treated and released from the hospital.
Authorities say 45-year-old Michael Marx, of Midland, Texas, has been charged with assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon, using and discharging a firearm during a violent crime, and illegally possessing a firearm. The incident unfolded Monday afternoon at the busy intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW, as Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade was leaving the White House and passing through an area crowded with pedestrians.
According to investigators, a plainclothes Secret Service agent initially noticed Marx appearing to conceal a gun. When uniformed officers approached and issued verbal commands, Marx ran. Officials allege that as he fled, he pulled a handgun from his waistband and, after crossing the street, turned and fired toward one of the pursuing officers. A civilian standing behind the agent was struck in the leg. Secret Service personnel returned fire, hitting Marx in the hand, left arm, and upper abdomen. He collapsed at the scene, and officers recovered a 9mm handgun nearby. Prosecutors say Marx did not have a license to carry a firearm in Washington, D.C., and note he had a prior drug trafficking conviction in Florida in 2011.
While being taken to a hospital, Marx allegedly made statements including “F— the White House” and “Kill me, kill me, kill me,” though the broader context of those remarks remains unclear. Authorities also reported that he behaved aggressively after being wounded, including spitting at officers who attempted to assist him.
Officials emphasized that the shooting occurred close to a heavily trafficked area and along the route of the vice president’s motorcade, though there is no indication the incident was directly tied to the White House or its occupants. In response to the situation, the motorcade was briefly rerouted as a precaution. “We will prove this defendant carried an illegal firearm into the heart of Washington, D.C., opened fire at Secret Service officers near a crowded intersection, and shot an innocent bystander who was simply crossing the street with his family,” prosecutors said, adding that they intend to pursue the most serious charges available.
As of now, no attorney has been listed for Marx in court records, and further court proceedings have not yet been scheduled.
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