3 killed in lightning strike near White House
By Colin McCullough, Paul LeBlanc and Sonnet Swire, CNN
Three people are dead and one is injured following a lightning strike across the street from the White House Thursday night.
James Mueller, 76, and Donna Mueller, 75, died from injuries following the lightning strike in Lafayette Park near the White House Thursday night, a DC Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed. The couple was visiting from Wisconsin. Friday afternoon, police said a 29-year-old man died from his injuries. His name is being withheld pending family notification.
The condition of the other person who was injured has not been released.
The victims were riding out the storm under a tree, a law enforcement source said. The thunderstorm hit the DC region around 7 p.m. ET.
“We are saddened by the tragic loss of life after the lightning strike in Lafayette Park,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Friday. “Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones, and we are praying for those still fighting for their lives.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
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CNN’s Noah Gray and Rachel Janfaza contributed to this report.
