Five shot outside a fitness centre in Washington's Logan Circle, shelter-in-place ordered

Five people have been shot outside a fitness centre in the Logan Circle area of Washington DC. The shooting took place on Thursday morning (12 November) in Northwest Washington, at 15th and P Street. The scene is less than a mile north of the White House.

Local police confirmed to the Associated Press that at least five people had been shot. Police could not immediately say anything about their condition, and it was not known whether any of the wounded were in a critical state.

The Washington DC police department said on social media, at about 8.20am Eastern Time, that officers were on the scene responding to an active shooting in the area of 15th and P Street, Northwest. The department's emergency response team was also at the scene.

Police issued a shelter-in-place order for those in the immediate vicinity of the 1500 block of 15th Street NW. The Metropolitan Police Department urged residents to go inside to the nearest building, stay away from windows and remain indoors until further notice. The public was also urged to avoid the area.

The BBC reported at 8.30pm Bangladesh time on Thursday that a 'barricade situation' had developed in the area after the shooting, and that members of the police emergency response team were working at the scene to bring the situation under control.

After the incident, armed police and members of the National Guard were visible around the Logan Circle area. A large number of police cars and emergency vehicles were deployed there, with their emergency lights flashing.

A spokesperson for the DC police department told the Guardian in a brief phone call that the scene was 'still active'. No further details were immediately available.

The shooter's identity, the motive for the attack, and whether anyone had been detained were not immediately known in detail. The shooting in this important area of the capital created widespread security concern, and security was tightened in the area.