Third Person Dies after Being Struck by Lightning Outside White House

Diana Glebova
·2 min read
20

A third person died Thursday evening after being hit by lightning at Lafayette Park outside the White House, police said Friday.

Police provided no other details other than saying the victim was a 29-year-old man and was one of four people who were struck and found in the park around 7 p.m., according to Fox 5.

The powerful strike was captured on video by a weather camera.

James Mueller, 76, and Donna Mueller, 75, of Janesville, Wis., also succumbed to their injuries and died Thursday night, according to the outlet. They were in Washington, D.C., celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary, according to their niece.

“They were a very loving couple,” the Muellers’ niece, Michelle McNett, told the Wisconsin State Journal. “They were very, very family-oriented. I think everyone’s just in shock right now.”

The White House issued a statement after the couple had died, offering condolences.

“We are saddened by the tragic loss of life after the lightning strike in Lafayette Park. Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones, and we are praying for those still fighting for their lives,” the statement read.

The 29-year-old man was unrelated to the couple, according to the outlet.

Another victim, a woman, remains in critical condition.

After the lightning strike, officials arrived on the scene to find four people with “critical life-threatening injuries,” Vito Maggiolo, the spokesperson for D.C. Fire and EMS, said in a briefing.

“We were able to quickly treat and transport those four individuals to area hospitals,” he said.

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