2 dead, 2 in critical condition after lightning strike near White House

WASHINGTON (CBS News) — Two people who were critically injured in a lightning strike outside the White House have died, police confirmed to CBS News Friday. Two others remained hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

James Mueller, 76, and Donna Mueller, 75, of Janesville, Wisconsin, died of their injuries after the lightning strike in Lafayette Park, located directly outside the White House complex, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

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The two other people, a man and a woman, were in critical condition, the police department said. Their identities were not immediately released.

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The lightning strike was reported at 6:52 p.m. The victims were near a statue of Andrew Jackson, Maggiolo said, adding that “it appeared they were in the vicinity of a tree.”

Uniformed Secret Service agents and U.S. Park Police officers who were in the area and witnessed the strike provided first aid to the victims, Maggiolo said.

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