Secret Service Kills Gunman at White House Checkpoint, Bystander Hit

A 21-year-old Maryland man was fatally shot by Secret Service officers Saturday evening after he opened fire at a security checkpoint near the White House. The incident occurred shortly after 6 p.m. at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, where the suspect, identified by multiple outlets as Nasire Best, pulled a revolver from a bag and began shooting toward officers.

Best was struck by return fire and pronounced dead at a hospital. A bystander was also wounded, though officials have not determined whether the injury came from Best or from the agents' response. No Secret Service personnel were hurt, and President Trump, who was inside the White House at the time, was not affected by the shooting. The White House was placed under lockdown as a precaution while the area was secured.

Law enforcement sources told CBS and other outlets that Best was already known to both the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department. He had been arrested in July 2025 after attempting to enter the White House grounds without authorization at a different checkpoint. Court records from that incident describe him claiming to be Jesus Christ and requesting arrest. He was later issued a stay-away order but continued to loiter near White House entrances, according to people familiar with the case. Reports indicate Best had documented mental health conditions and had been flagged previously as an emotionally disturbed person.

The shooting marks the third firearms incident near Trump or senior officials in roughly a month. In April, gunfire erupted outside the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Earlier this month, Secret Service agents shot a man near the Washington Monument after he allegedly fired during an encounter along Vice President JD Vance's motorcade route. In each case, the individuals involved had histories that raised questions about prior screening and intervention.

Trump posted on Truth Social hours after the event, thanking agents for their response and describing the gunman as having a violent history and possible obsession with the White House. He used the occasion to renew his call for additional funding to build what he has described as a more secure ballroom facility on the grounds. The Secret Service statement emphasized that no protectees or operations were disrupted.

Investigators continue to examine Best's movements and any potential motive. The episode again highlights the challenge of managing repeated approaches to secure sites by individuals with untreated or poorly managed mental health issues. Past attempts to strengthen perimeter protocols have focused on physical barriers and rapid response teams, yet cases like this one show the limits of those measures when someone already known to authorities decides to act. The investigation remains active, with road closures expected to continue in the immediate area.