The man who opened fire outside the White House last week had been known to the Secret Service on multiple occasions prior to the attack, according to court documents unsealed on Thursday. The documents, filed in the District of Columbia federal court, detail a series of encounters stretching back over two years, raising questions about how the security apparatus assessed and responded to potential threats.
The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Marcus Demetrius Johnson, was shot and wounded by Secret Service agents after he fired several rounds from a semi-automatic rifle near the north-east gate of the executive mansion on the evening of August 27. No other injuries were reported. Johnson is now facing multiple federal charges, including assault on federal officers and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the unsealed affidavit, Johnson first came to the attention of the Secret Service in July 2019 when he posted a series of threatening messages on social media directed at President Donald Trump. Agents interviewed him at his residence in Nashville, Tennessee, but concluded that he did not pose an imminent threat. A second encounter occurred in October 2020, when Johnson was spotted near the White House perimeter and questioned. He was again assessed as non-threatening and released.
The court documents also reveal that Johnson had been arrested in March 2021 for carrying a concealed weapon in Virginia, a charge that was later dropped. The Secret Service was notified of this arrest but did not take further action.
Critics have seized on the revelations as evidence of systemic failures within the Secret Service, which has faced intense scrutiny in recent years over security lapses and budgetary constraints. Jonathan Maskin, a former senior agent who now consults on security matters, described the pattern as deeply concerning. "The fact that this individual had multiple interactions with the agency and was still able to approach the White House with a rifle suggests a failure in threat assessment and follow-up," he said.
In a statement, the Secret Service defended its handling of the case, noting that the agency evaluates thousands of potential threats each year and prioritises those deemed most credible. "The Secret Service takes all threats against protectees seriously and acts accordingly based on available information," said James Murray, the agency's director. "In this instance, the individual exhibited no immediate indicators of violence during our prior contacts."
Legal experts say the case underscores the difficulty of balancing civil liberties with security. The First Amendment protects much of the speech that could be flagged as threatening, and agencies must meet a high bar before intervening. However, the shooting has reignited debate about whether current protocols are adequate. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts and a vocal critic of the Trump administration, called for a full investigation. "The American people deserve to know how this individual slipped through the cracks," she said.
Johnson remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court next week for a preliminary hearing. His lawyer declined to comment on the specific allegations but said his client would plead not guilty. The investigation continues.
