WASHINGTON, D.C. — Strong storms in the nation’s capital have turned deadly.
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Two of four people who were struck by lightning just outside the White House gates Thursday evening have died.
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A camera that was pointed at the white house when the storm rolled through caught the strike on video.
It happened just before 7 p.m. near Lafayette Park which sits just feet away from the White house. Because of its location, the park is commonly filled with tourists.
Police have identified the two people who died as 76-year-old James Mueller and his 75-year-old wife Donna Mueller, from Janesville, Wisconsin.
The two other people who were injured remain hospitalized in critical condition.
“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 released Friday. “Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones, and we are praying for those still fighting for their lives.”
The lightning came down during a severe thunderstorm that hit the Washington, D.C. area Thursday.
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According to data from the National Weather Service, only five other lightning-related deaths have occurred in Washington D.C. since 1959.
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