Washington : A tense and choatic scene unfolded outside the White House on Saturday evening after a 21 year old man identified as Nasire Best allegedly opened fire near a security checkpoint before being shot dead by members of the US. Secret Service.
According to officials, the incident took place near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., triggering an immediate lockdown around the presidential complex. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots as panic spread through the area. President Donald Trump was reportedly inside the White House at the time but was not harmed.
Investigators say Best pulled a weapon from his bag and began firing toward officers stationed at the checkpoint. Secret Service personnel returned fire within seconds, fatally wounding him. Authorities later confirmed that a bystander was also injured during the exchange, though it remains unclear whose gunfire caused the injury.
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Court records and previous police encounters revealed that Best had a history of troubling behavior near the White House. In an earlier incident in 2025, he allegedly attempted to enter a restricted checkpoint and told officers he was “Jesus Christ” and wanted to be arrested. Reports suggest he had previously been ordered to stay away from the area after repeated encounters with law enforcement.
The FBI has now joined the investigation alongside the Secret Service to determine the motive behind the attack and whether Best acted alone. Officials have not yet confirmed any political connection to the shooting, though the incident has once again raised concerns over security around the White House and increasing acts of public violence in the United States.