The Federal Bureau of Investigation seal is seen at FBI headquarters in Washington
Reuters

An off-duty FBI agent fatally shot a person at Washington D.C.'s Metro Station on Wednesday night. Local authorities report the shooting occurred after the two people engaged in an altercation that led to them falling off a platform.

According to a local NBC affiliate station, NBC 4 Washington, the shots were fired around 6:30 p.m., sending panicked commuters scattering. The victim and the agent tumbled over a wall, falling 8 feet toward the end of the subway platform before the shots were fired, according to D.C. Police.

"Shots were fired by an off-duty, veteran special agent assigned to FBI headquarters," Executive Assistant Chief of Police Ashan Benedict said during a news conference on Wednesday night.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, and the agent was taken to an area hospital for minor injuries. No one else was injured during the fight.

The shooting happened at one of the city's largest subway hubs, just blocks from the White House near 11th and G Streets in Northwestern D.C. The New York Times reported authorities said the agent and the victim were standing on the subway platform when "one of the individuals grabs the other, and then they both go over a side wall."

Multiple shots were fired, but Benedict did not specify how many and did not name the agent involved. Authorities also did not disclose the name of the victim.

Benedict said the scene was still being processed but that no other firearms were found in the initial search. He added that video evidence was still under review but that the agent appeared to be the initial victim in the altercation.

The FBI Washington field office released a statement on Twitter about the shooting, stating they were working with local authorities and conducting an internal review of the incident.

"The F.B.I. takes any shooting incident involving our agents or task force members seriously," the FBI tweeted just after 8:40 p.m. Wednesday. "In accordance with F.B.I. policy, the shooting incident is under review by the F.B.I.'s Inspection Division."