A late-night security incident outside a high-ranking government official's residence highlights the escalating carjacking crisis in the nation's capital.
According to Daily Mail, U.S. Secret Service agents discharged their weapons early Tuesday morning when confronting suspected carjackers attempting to break into vehicles near Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's Washington, D.C. mansion.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. when uniformed Secret Service personnel observed multiple individuals trying to gain access to cars parked along the street in the Northwest Washington neighborhood. The suspects fled the scene in a vehicle after agents fired shots, though authorities reported no evidence of anyone being struck by gunfire.
The attempted carjacking near Yellen's $2.7 million residence represents a broader pattern of vehicular crimes plaguing the District. Statistics reveal an alarming surge in carjackings, with 958 incidents reported in 2023, marking a dramatic increase from 484 cases in 2022. The current year has already seen 475 carjackings.
The Secret Service provided details about the confrontation in an official statement. The agency indicated that while investigating suspicious activity, an agent encountered a sedan with multiple occupants attempting to break into parked vehicles.
According to the Secret Service statement, "There was no threat to any protectees during this incident and no protectees were harmed."
This incident follows a pattern of security concerns involving government officials' residences. Just 13 months prior, Secret Service agents confronted two teenagers attempting to break into an unmarked USSS vehicle outside President Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden's Georgetown home.
Representative Henry Cuellar experienced a similar incident in October when three armed individuals forcibly took his white Honda CHR with Texas plates near his Southeast Washington residence. The Democratic congressman escaped the situation unharmed.
The Treasury Secretary's Northwest Washington property, featuring six bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms across 5,800 square feet, has become an unexpected focal point in the district's ongoing battle against vehicular crime. The residence, last sold in fall 2019 for $2,065,000, now carries an estimated value of $2.7 million.
The Secret Service's response demonstrates the complex security measures protecting government officials. After observing the suspicious sedan, agents initiated standard security protocols, leading to the confrontation and subsequent discharge of service weapons.
Law enforcement issued an alert to local authorities following the suspects' escape. The incident remains under investigation, with no arrests reported as of Tuesday afternoon. The Treasury Department and U.S. Secret Service have maintained silence regarding additional details about the shooting, declining to respond to media inquiries about the event.
The early morning confrontation outside Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's Washington residence has brought renewed attention to the district's struggle with vehicular crime. While the Treasury Secretary remained secure throughout the incident, the event underscores the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in protecting high-profile government officials.
The incident adds to a growing list of security concerns involving political figures in Washington, D.C., as authorities continue their efforts to address the surge in carjackings that has more than doubled since 2022. The investigation remains active as law enforcement works to identify and apprehend the suspects who fled the scene.
