Texas Man Charged with Assaulting Federal Officers After Shooting Near Washington Monument
Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, faces three federal charges including assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon after allegedly firing toward Secret Service agents moments after Vice President JD Vance's motorcade passed the Washington Monument. A plainclothes agent spotted the gun, prompting uniformed officers to respond; Marx was wounded and a bystander injured.
ksl.comS. C. with three counts including assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon after a shooting this week near the Washington Monument.
Moments after a motorcade carrying Vice President JD Vance had passed. Federal prosecutors said Marx had been following the path of the motorcade before he opened fire toward a Secret Service agent and wounded a bystander. A plain-clothes Secret Service agent patrolling the outer perimeter of the White House first spotted the man and identified a gun.
The agent called in cars with uniformed Secret Service officers, who confronted Marx as he ran across an intersection toward civilians and drew a firearm, photographs filed in the case United States of America v. Michael Marx show. Officers returned fire.
Marx was struck in the hand, left arm and upper abdomen. While being taken to the hospital in an ambulance he allegedly said "F--- the White House," according to Just the News. The Justice Department charged Marx, who is also known as Michael Patrick or Michael Zavici, with firing his gun toward a Secret Service agent.
S. C. that capture the suspect running and drawing the weapon. The Secret Service held a press briefing on the shooting. Officials described the rapid sequence in which the plain-clothes agent identified the threat and summoned backup before shots were exchanged on the open ground near the monument.
Marx remains hospitalized under guard. The wounded bystander has not been publicly identified, and no details on the extent of those injuries have been released by federal authorities. S.
Officials in the capital. Vice President JD Vance, who assumed office in January 2025, was not present at the shooting and continued without interruption, officials said.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
2 events- 2026-05-04 afternoon
Plain-clothes Secret Service agent spots armed man near White House perimeter, calls uniformed officers; shooting occurs near Washington Monument moments after Vance motorcade passes; Marx wounded in hand, arm and abdomen; bystander injured
6 sourcesWashington Post · Hot Air · Just the News · CBS News - 2026-05-06
Justice Department files three-count complaint against Michael Marx in U.S. District Court in D.C.; court releases photographs showing suspect drawing firearm
4 sourcesWashington Post · New York Times · Washington Times · CBS News
Potential Impact
- 01
Federal prosecutors will pursue weapons and assault charges that carry multi-year prison terms if convicted.
- 02
Increased protective measures likely for future vice-presidential movements in downtown Washington.
- 03
Secret Service will review outer-perimeter patrol procedures around motorcade routes on the National Mall.
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