A man who opened
fire near a security checkpoint close to the White House on Saturday evening has died after being shot by officers who returned fire, according to the United States Secret Service.
In a statement posted on X, the Secret Service said the suspect was near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue shortly after 6 p.m. EDT when he allegedly “pulled a weapon from his bag” and began firing. Officers at the scene responded immediately, returning fire and striking the suspect, who later died at a hospital.
Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as 21-year-old Nasire Best. Officials disclosed the identity on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation.
Court records from the District of Columbia revealed that Best had previously been arrested in July 2025 after attempting to enter another White House checkpoint without authorization. According to authorities, he ignored commands to stop, claimed he was Jesus Christ, and reportedly stated that he wanted to be arrested. A “Pretrial Stay Away Order” was later issued against him, restricting him from approaching the area before trial proceedings. A bench warrant was subsequently issued in August following allegations of noncompliance and failure to appear at a later hearing.
Saturday’s incident marked the third shooting-related security scare involving the vicinity of President Donald Trump within the past month. Authorities confirmed that Trump was inside the White House at the time of the shooting but was not harmed. The president had originally planned to spend the weekend at his New Jersey golf club before changing his schedule to remain in Washington.
Officials also confirmed that a bystander was injured during the exchange of gunfire. Investigators are still determining whether the individual was struck by bullets fired by the suspect or by officers responding to the attack. No Secret Service personnel were injured.
Kash Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said agency personnel responded to the scene and promised that more updates would be provided as the investigation progresses.
The shooting left visible evidence across the sidewalk near the White House complex, where yellow crime scene tape surrounded the area. Numerous orange evidence markers were placed on the pavement as emergency medical materials, including surgical gloves and trauma kits, remained scattered around the scene.
Journalists stationed at the White House reported hearing multiple gunshots during the incident and were instructed to take shelter inside the press briefing room.
Among those present was Selina Wang, who shared a dramatic video on X capturing the moment gunfire erupted while she was recording a social media segment outside the White House. The footage showed her reacting to what she described as “dozens of gunshots” before ducking for cover inside the media tent. The video quickly spread online, gathering millions of views within hours.
The latest shooting occurred close to the location of another deadly attack last November in which two members of the West Virginia National Guard were ambushed. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, later died from her injuries, while Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was critically wounded. Authorities charged Rahmanullah Lakanwal in connection with that case.
The shooting also comes nearly one month after another alleged assassination attempt against Trump during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 25. Authorities accused Cole Tomas Allen of forcing his way through a security checkpoint at a Washington hotel and firing a shotgun at a Secret Service officer. Allen has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Earlier this month, Secret Service officers also shot another suspect after gunfire erupted near the Washington Monument. Michael Marx, 45, of Texas, was charged in connection with that incident, during which a teenage bystander was wounded.
