Washington, Nov 12 (IANS): A shooting incident involving a police chase near the White House has closed streets in the US capital of Washington, according to media reports.

Shots were reportedly fired Friday night between the White House and the Washington Monument, setting off a flurry of law enforcement activity, CNN reported citing a US Park Police spokesman.

The incident was reported shortly after 9 p.m., said Sergeant David Schlosser, spokesman for the Park Police. Responding officers found an abandoned vehicle in the vicinity of the reported incident and were searching it "trying to figure out what happened".

Schlosser said "no evidence" has been recovered to indicate shots were actually fired.

The Huffington Post said shots were fired between two cars on Constitution Avenue in an area adjacent to the Ellipse and Washington Monument.

It cited a law enforcement source as saying that the Secret Service saw the incident and put out a description on the two vehicles. One of the cars was abandoned at 23rd Street North West and Constitution Avenue, near the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and the State Department.

An AK-47 was recovered at the scene. Witnesses also reported seeing someone running across the Roosevelt Bridge.

The source cited by the Huffington Post does not believe the shots were directed at the White House, speculating that it was probably an issue between the two vehicles.

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama reportedly were not in Washington Friday night, but in California.