Soldier hit by stray bullet near White House files $25M claim against Secret Service

Published Jul 23, 06:39 PM UTC

Private First Class Benjamin Del Real Jr., a 25-year-old soldier on vacation in Washington D.C., has filed a $25 million claim against the U.S. Secret Service for negligence after being struck by a stray bullet during a shooting incident near the White House on May 23. Del Real, his father, and his sister were walking to dinner when they witnessed a shooter, later identified as Nasire Best, open fire on a Secret Service security post. Del Real was shot in the abdomen and suffered a torn ACL, requiring emergency surgery that resulted in the removal of part of his colon and small intestine. His attorney, Joseph T. Murphy, claims a confidential source and video footage indicate the bullet that struck Del Real came from Secret Service agents, not the shooter. The claim, filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, gives the Secret Service six months to respond. The incident remains under investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.