The US Secret Service has shot down a man who was spotted near the White House in Washington DC after midnight on Sunday.

After an "armed confrontation" with law enforcement, the individual was taken to hospital.

The incident occurred close to the intersection of 17th Street and F Street NW - just five minutes away from the White House on foot.

Yesterday, police in DC had noted a "suicidal individual" that might have been travelling to the city from Indiana, according to the agency.

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Officials subsequently found the man's car and identified an individual who matched the description.

"As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm, and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel," the Secret Service said earlier today by service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

No injuries were reported among their own personnel, while the incident has been placed under investigation.

The status of the individual is currently unknown.

The President was not staying in the White House this weekend and is currently residing in his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida this weekend.