Gunman Killed After Opening Fire Near White House; Bystander Injured
A 21-year-old man was fatally shot by Secret Service officers after opening fire near a White House security checkpoint; a bystander was also injured during the incident.
On Saturday evening, a 21-year-old Maryland resident, Nasire Best, was fatally shot by U.S. Secret Service officers after he opened fire near a White House security checkpoint. The incident occurred around 6:15 p.m. ET near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, close to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time but was unharmed.
According to the Secret Service, Best approached the checkpoint, retrieved a firearm from his bag, and began shooting at officers. The officers returned fire, striking Best, who was transported to a hospital where he later died. A bystander was also injured during the exchange and remains in serious but stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. It is unclear how the bystander was shot.
Best had prior encounters with law enforcement near the White House. In July 2025, he was arrested for attempting to enter restricted areas of the White House complex, claiming to be Jesus Christ and expressing a desire to be arrested. His mother stated that he "was never violent, regardless of what people are posting."
This incident marks the third shooting near President Trump in the past month. In April, a man armed with guns and knives stormed the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, and earlier this month, Secret Service officers shot and wounded a man who fired at them near the Washington Monument.
In response to the latest shooting, President Trump suggested that the suspect may have had an obsession with the White House and used the event to advocate for a proposed $1 billion secure ballroom project intended to improve safety for future presidents.