A lightning strike near the White House killed 3 people and left one more in critical condition

• Four people were struck by lightning near the White House on Thursday evening.
• Three of the victims were pronounced dead since the strike. One remains in critical condition.

Three people were killed and another person critically injured by a lightning strike near the White House on Thursday evening, Washington DC police and fire officials say.

They were found approximately 100 feet away from the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square close to 7 p.m., The Washington Post reported.

Vito Maggiolo, a spokesperson for the DC Fire and EMS Department, said Thursday night that Secret Service officers and United States Park Police "witnessed the lightning strike and immediately began to render aid to the four victims — which is very critical in helping with survivability."

"We were able to quickly treat and transport those four individuals to area hospitals," Maggiolo said at the press conference at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Maggiolo said he believes the patients had been standing near a tree when the lightning hit.

The two victims who died have been identified as 76-year-old James Mueller and 75-year-old Donna Mueller, a couple from Janesville, Wisconsin, the DC Metropolitan Police Department told Insider. The MPD later confirmed that a third person has died following the incident, a 29-year-old male who has not yet been named pending notification of relatives.

Maggiolo told reporters that when thunder and lightning are present, it's best to stay away from trees and to head indoors.

"If it roars, go indoors is the general guideline," he said.

In a statement Friday, the White House said staff were "saddened by the 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."