Shots Fired at the White House: Gunman Dead, Bystander Critical
A 21-year-old man opened fire on officers near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. He was fatally shot after a brief exchange of gunfire that briefly locked down the White House.
A man armed with a pistol opened fire on a United States Secret Service checkpoint near the White House on Saturday evening, triggering a sharp exchange of gunfire that left the gunman dead and one bystander critically wounded. The incident unfolded shortly after 6 PM ET near the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, just steps from the White House complex.
The suspect, identified by authorities as Nasire Best, 21, approached the security post, removed a weapon from his bag, and began firing at officers stationed there. Secret Service agents responded immediately, returning fire and striking Best. He was rushed to George Washington University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
"Removed a weapon from his bag and began firing at posted officers."
— U.S. Secret Service preliminary statement
A bystander in the vicinity was also struck during the shooting. Law enforcement officials have not confirmed who fired the shot that wounded the bystander; the person is reported to be in critical condition. Yellow crime scene tape cordoned off sections of sidewalk outside the White House complex, with dozens of orange evidence markers placed across the pavement as investigators processed the scene.
Prior history
Court records reviewed by CNN reveal that Best was not unknown to the Secret Service. Officers had previously encountered him multiple times near the White House during the summer of 2025, with documents describing him as someone who would walk around the complex inquiring about entry points. On June 26, 2025, he was involuntarily committed after obstructing vehicle entry to part of the White House grounds. On July 10, 2025, he again entered a restricted area outside the building despite posted warning signs, at which point multiple officers confronted him.
President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time of the Saturday shooting. A lockdown was placed on the building and the surrounding press area, which confined reporters and correspondents on site. ABC News senior White House correspondent Selina Wang, among others, captured dramatic video of the moment gunfire erupted, describing what she heard as dozens of shots in rapid succession before taking cover.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was among the first officials to comment publicly, writing on X: the Secret Service acted with "quick, decisive action" to protect the president, and that his prayers were with the victims. He added that law enforcement officers "run into harm's way each day to keep us safe."
Gun violence advocacy group Brady United noted that this incident marks at least the third incidence of gunfire in the vicinity of President Trump within a single month and pointed to earlier incidents at the White House in 1994 and 2011 as historical reference points for how rare, yet recurring, such events near the executive mansion can be.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not yet released information on a possible motive.