FILE - A secret service agent, July 20, 2022, in New York. Secret Service agents protecting President Joe Biden's granddaughter have opened fire after three people tried to break into an unmarked Secret Service vehicle in Washington. That's according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday. It happened Sunday night in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)
FILE - A secret service agent, July 20, 2022, in New York. Secret Service agents protecting President Joe Biden's granddaughter have opened fire after three people tried to break into an unmarked Secret Service vehicle in Washington. That's according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday. It happened Sunday night in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents protecting President Joe Biden’s granddaughter opened fire after three people tried to break into an unmarked Secret Service vehicle in the nation’s capital, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.
The agents, assigned to protect , were out with her in the Georgetown neighborhood late Sunday night when they saw the three people breaking a window of the parked and unoccupied SUV, the official said. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on Monday on the condition of anonymity.
One of the agents opened fire, but no one was struck by the gunfire, the Secret Service said in a statement. The three people were seen fleeing in a red car, and the Secret Service said it put out a regional bulletin to Metropolitan Police to be on the lookout for it.
Washington has seen a significant rise in the number of carjackings and car thefts this year. Police have reported more than 750 carjackings this year and more than 6,000 reports of stolen vehicles in the district. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was last month by three armed assailants, who stole his car but didn't physically harm him.
Violent crime in Washington has also been on the rise this year, up more than 40% compared with last year. In February, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota was , suffering bruises while escaping serious injury.
