The Justice Department announced Friday that a federal grand jury has indicted Michael Marx, a 45-year-old from Midland, Texas, for a shooting near the Washington Monument on the National Mall that left a civilian bystander wounded. The indictment charges Marx with assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon and using a firearm during a violent crime, stemming from the May 4 incident.
According to court documents, a U.S. Secret Service agent first spotted Marx near 15th Street and Madison Drive NW with what appeared to be a concealed weapon and called for uniformed backup. At the same time, Vice President Vance's motorcade was departing the White House and traveling close to the area, the DOJ said.
“When someone brings violence to a place that symbolizes the heart of our democracy and does so along the path of the Vice President’s motorcade, we will respond with the full weight of federal charges and pursue accountability at every step,” U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said in a statement Friday.
The confrontation escalated into a shootout between Marx and officers, during which a teenage bystander was allegedly struck by Marx's gunfire, prosecutors said. Marx was subsequently transported to George Washington University Hospital for treatment.
While hospitalized, Marx allegedly made statements to officers including “F— the White House” and “kill me, kill me, kill me,” according to the DOJ release. He is expected to make his first court appearance Friday before a magistrate judge.
Federal prosecutors had previously charged Marx with unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon, discharging a gun during a crime of violence, and firing at Secret Service officers. The incident has drawn attention to security vulnerabilities on the National Mall, a site that has seen heightened tensions amid ongoing political divisions. For context, the Trump administration recently poured $465 million into a revamp of Union Station after a federal takeover, underscoring the government's focus on securing key D.C. infrastructure.
Pirro emphasized the gravity of the case, noting that the National Mall is “one of the most heavily visited public spaces in the nation.” The indictment reflects the Justice Department's commitment to pursuing aggressive charges in cases that threaten public safety near iconic federal landmarks.
Marx's legal troubles come as political rhetoric remains heated in Texas, where figures like Ken Paxton and James Talarico have clashed over flag remarks, igniting the state's Senate race. Meanwhile, the DNC has launched a vulgar attack on Stephen Miller after a Texas Senate spat, highlighting the broader partisan friction that often spills into national security matters.
