Federal prosecutors have charged a Texas man with opening fire on Secret Service officers near the Washington Monument, an incident that left a civilian bystander wounded and briefly rattled the security cordon around Vice President Vance’s motorcade.
The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, faces three counts: assault on federal officers with a dangerous weapon, using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The charges stem from a shooting Monday afternoon on the National Mall.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the confrontation began when a Secret Service agent spotted Marx “appearing to conceal a firearm on the right side of his body” near 15th Street and Madison Drive NW. The agent alerted the Secret Service Joint Operations Center and requested uniformed backup.
The timing escalated tensions: Vice President Vance’s motorcade was leaving the White House, just blocks away, along 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW. Uniformed officers located Marx along the motorcade’s route.
“As officers approached, Marx walked toward a group of civilians crossing the street,” the DOJ release stated. When officers issued verbal commands, Marx fled east on Independence Avenue. During the pursuit, he drew a firearm from his waistband while running through a crosswalk crowded with bystanders.
“When Marx reached the sidewalk, he turned and fired at one of the pursuing officers,” the release continued. “A civilian witness standing behind the officer was wounded in his leg.” Officers returned fire, striking Marx in the hand, left arm, and upper abdomen. He was taken into custody and hospitalized.
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said in a statement, “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.”
The shooting has reignited scrutiny of security protocols around the National Mall, a frequent target for threats. The incident also echoes past security lapses, including the Secret Service shooting near the National Mall that sparked earlier concerns about perimeter safety near high-profile government buildings.
Marx’s legal troubles are compounded by his status as a convicted felon, which bars him from possessing firearms under federal law. The case also comes amid broader debates over gun violence and public safety in the nation’s capital, where a judge recently criticized harsh jail conditions for another high-profile shooting suspect.
Court records indicate Marx remains in custody pending a detention hearing. The wounded bystander, whose identity has not been released, is expected to survive.
