A Texas man has been charged in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in connection with a shooting near the Washington Monument that unfolded as Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade passed through the area, according to federal authorities.
Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, allegedly opened fire Monday afternoon near the National Mall, shooting a bystander during the chaotic encounter.
According to court documents, the incident began around 3:40 p.m. on May 4, when a plainclothes U.S. Secret Service agent spotted Marx near the White House on 15th Street NW, appearing to conceal a firearm. The agent alerted the Secret Service Joint Operations Center and requested uniformed backup as officers moved in.
Authorities allege Marx fired as officers approached, prompting a pursuit. When he reached the sidewalk, he allegedly turned and shot at one of the pursuing officers. A civilian standing behind the officer was struck in the leg.
Officers returned fire, hitting Marx in the hand, left arm, and upper abdomen.
Marx collapsed at the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW, where officers took him into custody and rendered aid. He was identified through a Texas driver’s license, and investigators say he also used aliases including Patrick Michael and Michael Zavici.
He was transported to George Washington University Hospital. While in the ambulance, Marx allegedly shouted, “F*** the White House” and repeatedly said, “Kill me, kill me, kill me,” according to court filings.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said prosecutors intend to pursue the case aggressively.
“We will prove this defendant carried an illegal firearm into the heart of Washington, D.C., opened fire at Secret Service officers near a crowded intersection, and shot an innocent bystander who was simply crossing the street with his family,” Pirro said. “My office will pursue the most serious charges available against anyone who brings gun violence to our streets, particularly when that violence unfolds steps from the seat of our government and the path of the Vice President of the United States.”
Marx faces three federal charges: assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon, using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
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The investigation is being led by the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office.
The shooting comes amid heightened security concerns in the nation’s capital, following the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April.