US Politics
Gunman killed after opening fire on Secret Service checkpoint at White House
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A 21-year-old Maryland resident with a history of mental health issues has been identified as the gunman who opened fire at a U.S. Secret Service security checkpoint outside the White House Saturday evening.
The suspect was fatally shot by law enforcement officers during an exchange of gunfire that also left a bystander injured.
Multiple sources confirmed to Fox News Digital and The Associated Press that the suspect was Nasire Best, 21, of Maryland. According to officials, Best had prior encounters with the Secret Service before Saturday’s confrontation. He had reportedly been detained by the Secret Service in June 2025 for flagging down agents and making threats, and again in July 2025, for entering a restricted area.
Best allegedly had a known history of mental health issues. He was pronounced dead while in transit to GW Medical Center after being shot by U.S. Secret Service agents.
The incident began shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday when Best approached a Secret Service security booth and checkpoint near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW — on the side of the White House complex that contains the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
According to a preliminary statement from a Secret Service spokesperson, the suspect removed a weapon from his bag and began firing directly at posted officers. Sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that somewhere between 10 and 20 shots were fired during the initial encounter.
Reporters on the White House North Lawn heard what sounded like dozens of possible gunshots, prompting the U.S. Secret Service to move members of the media indoors. ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang captured audio of the gunfire while filming a video on her phone.
“It sounded like dozens of gunshots,” Wang stated in a social media post, adding that members of the press corps were ordered by security personnel to immediately run into the indoor press briefing room, where reporters were held while the complex was placed under lockdown.
Secret Service police officers inside and around the booth immediately returned fire, striking the suspect. No injuries were sustained by Secret Service personnel. A bystander, though, was struck by gunfire during the exchange and was injured.
According to the Secret Service’s official statement, the bystander’s condition is currently unknown, and it remains unclear whether they were hit by the suspect’s initial rounds or by return fire during the subsequent shootout.
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the Secret Service, initially confirmed to CBS News that the agency was investigating “reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” while working to corroborate details on the ground.
FBI Director Kash Patel later confirmed the bureau’s involvement in a social media post, stating that the FBI was on the scene and actively supporting the Secret Service.
President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time of the incident, having been on the premises since at least 4 p.m. A White House official confirmed to CBS News that the president was unaffected by the shooting and was later briefed on the situation.
The security alert unfolded during a busy weekend for the administration, as the president and his team continue working to negotiate a peace deal aimed at ending the war with Iran.
Despite the active investigation outside the executive mansion, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung stated that administration operations continued uninterrupted.
“It’s 9:30 PM on a Saturday night and President Trump is still in the Oval Office working hard for the American people,” Cheung posted on X. “He’s simply one of one.”
The shooting drew immediate reactions from top congressional leaders, who praised the swift action of federal law enforcement.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., commended the federal response to the active shooter, praising the officers on duty for their decisive actions to ensure the safety of the president.
“We are grateful for our brave Secret Service agents who took quick, decisive action to protect President Trump, and our prayers are with the victims of tonight’s senseless shooting for a speedy recovery,” Johnson wrote on X, adding that law enforcement officers “deserve our unwavering support” for running into harm’s way daily.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., also released a statement on X praising the agency.
“Grateful for the Secret Service and the agents’ decisive actions to protect President Trump and everyone at and around the White House this evening,” Thune said. “Kimberley and I are praying for the safety and security of those who were in harm’s way.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., who survived being shot at a congressional baseball practice in 2017, responded similarly.
“We live in dangerous times,” Scalise wrote on X. “Praying for President Trump, those injured near the White House, and the brave Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers working to keep everyone safe this evening. Violence is never the answer.”
The shooting follows an incident nearly a month ago in which a gunman breached a security checkpoint outside a Washington, D.C., hotel ballroom hosting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.