PowerPoint Show by Andrew

Armed man was shot at a Secret Service checkpoint one block west of the White House at around 3pm on Friday.

He was shot once in the stomach after brandishing a gun and failing to drop it after repeated orders from agents.

The suspect, said to be a man in his 20s, was rushed to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

President Obama was not at the White House and was playing golf but VP Biden was rushed to a secure area. 

Ammunition for a .22 caliber firearm was reportedly found in a car that is believed to be owned by the suspect.

An armed man has been shot outside the White House after brandishing a weapon at a Secret Service checkpoint. Pictured, Secret Service outside the White House.

The man was shot by Secret Service officers one block west of the White House, leaving him in a critical condition.

Visitors wrote on Twitter that they saw 'lots of people with guns' after shots were heard. Pictured, cops outside the White House.

The shooting took place on 17th and E Streets - one block west of the White House - at around 3pm. The red circle shows were the shooting took place.

Armed police officers secured the scene outside the White House and the lockdown was lifted at around 4pm on Friday.

A member of the Secret Service stands guard on the South Lawn of the White House.

Armed police in green green uniforms stood guard outside the front of the White House on Friday afternoon following the shooting.

Secret Service agents were seen on the roof of the White House on Friday afternoon as they remained on guard following the shooting.

DC Fire and EMS tweeted that one person was taken to hospital in a critical condition. The armed man is in custody. Pictured, police at the scene.

A U.S. Secret Service officer blocks Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street near the White House in Washington, DC, not far from the shooting.

People were seen exiting the White House grounds after the shooting outside the building on Friday afternoon, but President Obama was out playing golf.

The building was put on lockdown and Vice President Joe Biden was rushed to a secure area as the gunman was taken to hospital.

The Secret Service were on high alert after the shooting and place the White House on lockdown for the best part of 2 hours.

A Secret Service Police Officer works outside of the guard entrance on 17th St Northwest near the White House in Washington, DC.

An armed police officer agent stands guard near the White House after the shooting caused panic in Washington, DC.

President Obama reportedly left the White House shortly after 1pm for a round of golf at Andrews Air Force Base and was not present during the shooting (file picture).