In an unusual incident, Uniformed Secret Service officers shot and killed an intruder armed with a metal stake or pole at the Peruvian ambassador's Northwest D.C. residence Tuesday morning. All this while the ambassador and his wife were in the home, reported local D.C. news WTOP.
According to reports from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the Secret Service officers, who reported a “burglary in progress” at about 8 am, unsuccessfully tried to subdue the intruder, who bashed in windows and doors around the back of the house, with Tasers before firing their service weapons.
“They encountered this person, they pulled their … tasers. This person was holding a metal stake. The officers fired those tasers. They did not take effect. And as these weapons did not take effect ultimately, the officers ended up pulling their service weapons, firing shots, and this person is now deceased,” MPD Chief Robert Contee said.
The unidentified man, described by police as being in his late 20s to early 30s, entered the property and was pronounced dead on the scene. The officers were taken to a local hospital for evaluation, though Contee stated he did not believe they had sustained life-threatening injuries.
While the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security protects U.S. embassies and diplomats overseas, the Uniformed Division officers of the Secret Service assigned to the Foreign Missions Branch protect more than 500 foreign diplomatic missions in the Washington metropolitan area.
According to the Secret Service's website regarding its Foreign Missions branch:
Officers also handle demonstrations at diplomatic locations, assist in motorcade movements, man fixed protective posts, investigate and process crime scenes, and consult with diplomatic officials regarding protection and law enforcement matters related to their embassies, chanceries and personnel.
“We don't see these types of incidents around here; this is totally out of the ordinary,” Chief Contee said at a media briefing. “I can't recall the last time we had this type of incident on the property of one of our ambassadors.”
In a statement, the Peruvian embassy said: “The ambassador, his family, residence staff and Secret Service officers are safe.”
