Secret Service Opens Fire Outside Biden Cabinet Member’s Home

Early Tuesday morning, a chaotic scene unfolded outside Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s Washington, D.C. home when U.S. Secret Service agents fired shots after carjackers attempted to break into vehicles near her mansion. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. in Northwest D.C., a neighborhood known for its affluent residents.

According to reports, a uniformed Secret Service agent discharged their weapon when they spotted a sedan with multiple occupants trying to open car doors on the street. The agent confronted the suspects, who then fled the scene in the sedan. It’s still unclear if anyone was injured during the incident, but the Secret Service stated that there is “no evidence to indicate anyone was struck.”

So far, no arrests have been made, and the suspects remain at large. The Secret Service labeled the event an “officer-involved shooting.” Despite the gunfire, law enforcement confirmed that there was no threat to Secretary Yellen or any of her security detail. “There was no threat to any protectees during this incident and no protectees were harmed,” a statement from the agency said.

Yellen’s home, which is protected by the Secret Service, is located in one of D.C.’s most prestigious neighborhoods. The six-bedroom mansion, valued at around $2.7 million, spans 5,800 square feet and includes five-and-a-half bathrooms. The property was last sold in 2019 for $2.065 million.

The rise in carjackings has become a concerning trend in Washington, D.C. over the past few years. In 2023, there were 958 carjackings, nearly double the number from the previous year. As of now, there have been 475 reported incidents in 2024. Critics argue that lenient crime laws may be contributing to the increase.

Yellen isn’t the only public figure affected by the surge in carjackings. In October 2022, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was carjacked near his home in Southeast D.C. by three armed assailants, although he was unharmed.

This isn’t the first time Secret Service agents have had to respond to a carjacking-related incident. Just 13 months before the Yellen shooting, agents opened fire after two teenagers tried to break into a vehicle outside the home of President Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden, in Georgetown. The teens were later arrested in connection with the break-in.

Regarding Tuesday morning’s event, the Secret Service said the agent noticed the sedan approaching and saw the suspects trying to open car doors. When the vehicle neared the agent, a confrontation occurred, prompting the agent to fire their weapon. The suspects quickly fled, and law enforcement issued a lookout for the vehicle.

As the investigation continues, the Secret Service is working with local authorities to locate the suspects involved in the attempted carjacking.