The White House was placed on lockdown after 20 to 30 rounds of gunfire broke out on Saturday evening.
Journalists reporting at the White House ducked for cover after hearing the gunshots ring out.
Network staffers said they were moved to secure locations inside the White House as the situation unfolded, while NBC sought comment from the US Secret Service.
Television footage from the scene showed heavily armed Secret Service personnel positioned on the White House North Lawn carrying rifles.
‘I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots,’ tweeted ABC White House Correspondent Selena Wang.
‘It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now.’
Unusually for a weekend, President Donald Trump was at the White House rather than his usual Florida abode.
The press pool had also dismissed about an hour before the gunshots rang out so there were just a few reporters left on the White House grounds.
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Reporters near the White House said they heard what sounded like dozens of gunshots on Saturday evening
