A 45-year-old Texas resident was shot multiple times by law enforcement officers near the Washington Monument on Monday after pulling a gun and firing at Secret Service personnel, according to court documents filed Wednesday.
Michael Marx of Midland, Texas, was walking along the route of Vice President JD Vance's motorcade when officers spotted him near 15th Street and Independence Avenue. Agents had been alerted that Marx was in the White House complex area with a concealed firearm on his right side.
When confronted, Marx drew a gun from his waistband and ran while firing at one of the officers. A teenage bystander standing behind the officer was struck in the leg. Authorities returned fire, hitting Marx in the abdomen, hand, and left arm. The bystander sustained non-serious injuries and was released from the hospital.
In an affidavit, a Secret Service agent recounted Marx's statements after the shooting. While being transported to a hospital in an ambulance, Marx reportedly said "F*** the White House" and repeatedly told officers to "kill me." The affidavit does not indicate whether Marx had a specific target in mind.
Marx was charged with assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a violent crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He had a 2011 drug trafficking conviction in Florida that barred him from owning firearms. Court records show Marx had used aliases including Michael Patrick and Michael Zavici.
According to the filing, Marx spit at officers as they provided medical aid after the confrontation. At the time of the shooting, Donald Trump was at the White House for a small business event, which was briefly locked down during the investigation.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement that her office would "pursue the most serious charges available against anyone who brings gun violence to our streets, particularly when that violence unfolds steps from the seat of our government and the path of the vice-president of the United States."
The incident occurred just over a week after another armed confrontation at a White House event. California resident Cole Tomas Allen attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Association dinner carrying guns and knives. He was charged with attempting to assassinate the president and firing a gun at a Secret Service officer.
Author James Rodriguez: "Two armed incidents near the White House in less than two weeks raises serious questions about security protocols, especially with a new administration settling in."
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