Shots fired near White House

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News sources are reporting that shots were fired near the White House at 9:04 PM on Friday evening.

According to reports, two vehicles were involved in the gunfire on the National Mall. An AK-47 has been recovered from one car that was abandoned by a fleeing suspect, who was last seen running across the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.

The scene was initially in confusion, with police stopping cars, but the shooting does not appear to have represented an attack on the White House itself, according to Park Police. Preliminary reports are that it was a gun battle between two vehicles.

“I think, obviously, the thing that makes it of interest is simply the location, you know, a bit like real estate,” Park Police spokesman Sgt. David Schlosser told reporters. “The fact that this occurred outside the White House area. At this point, we don’t think that there’s any link to the White House.”

Law enforcement authorities said they were looking for shell casings and bullet holes, but had not yet confirmed a shooting had occurred.

The president and first lady are not in Washington but are presently in California, on their way to a conference in Hawaii.

This video is from FoxDC, November 11, 2011.

Shootout Between Vehicles Near White House: MyFoxDC.com