A 21-year-old man identified as Nasire Best has been confirmed as the shooter who fired multiple rounds at a U.S. Secret Service checkpoint near the White House on Saturday evening, according to law enforcement officials. Best died after Secret Service officers returned fire, while President Trump remained inside the executive mansion and was unharmed during the incident.
The shooting occurred around 6 p.m. Eastern Time near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Reports indicate Best brandished a pistol and fired approximately three shots toward the White House before Secret Service personnel engaged him. A lockdown was lifted by 7:30 p.m. Eastern after the immediate threat was contained, though a nearby civilian was also shot during the exchange. The suspect was pronounced dead shortly afterward, with no Secret Service officers injured.
District of Columbia records reviewed by the Associated Press reveal Best had been arrested in July 2025 for attempting to enter a White House checkpoint without authorization. During that prior incident, he refused commands to stop and stated, “I am Jesus Christ” while claiming he wanted to be arrested. A pretrial stay-away order followed, later superseded by a bench warrant in August 2025 after Best failed to appear for a hearing.
This marks the third instance of gunfire near President Trump within roughly one month, occurring at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April and again near the Washington Monument on May 4. No official motive has been released, though federal authorities are conducting an ongoing investigation with the FBI and Secret Service leading the response.
The incident underscores a troubling pattern: a young man with documented history of escalating behavior at White House security points was able to approach with a loaded weapon in close proximity to presidential facilities despite existing legal restrictions.
