Shooting near White House: Suspect killed after opening fire on Secret Service agents

A gunman who opened fire near the White House on Saturday evening has died after being shot by US Secret Service officers, according to statements cited by US media reports.

A bystander was also wounded in the exchange of gunfire, though officials have not released details about the person’s condition.

The shooting triggered a rapid security response and a temporary lockdown at the White House complex while President Donald Trump was inside the residence.

Suspect identified

US media outlets, including CNN, identified the suspect as 21-year-old Nasire Best.

According to law enforcement sources cited by CNN, Best had multiple prior encounters with the Secret Service. In June 2025, he allegedly blocked an entry lane near the White House and claimed he was “God” before being detained and taken for psychiatric evaluation.

The following month, he was arrested again after reportedly attempting to enter a White House driveway. A judge later ordered him to stay away from the White House grounds.

Investigators also reportedly discovered social media posts in which Best claimed to be “the real” Osama bin Laden and allegedly expressed a desire to harm Trump. However, authorities said he had no known history of violent behaviour or carrying weapons before Saturday’s shooting.

Gunfire sparks lockdown near White House

The incident unfolded shortly after 6pm local time near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, about a block from the White House.

Journalists stationed on the White House grounds reported hearing what sounded like dozens of gunshots before being ordered by Secret Service officers to shelter inside the press briefing room.

The White House complex was placed under lockdown for around 40 minutes.

Secret Service officers later confirmed that agents at a nearby security checkpoint returned fire after the suspect opened fire at them.

“Secret Service police officers returned fire, striking the suspect, who was transported to an area hospital, where he later died,” the agency said in a statement cited by US media.

Dramatic scenes captured by reporters

ABC News correspondent Selina Wang shared video on X showing the moment gunfire erupted while she was filming a social media segment outside the White House.

The footage showed Wang ducking for cover as repeated gunshots rang out in the background. The video was widely shared online and viewed millions of times within hours.

Multiple journalists said they heard between 15 and 30 gunshots during the incident.

Trump was inside White House during shooting

President Donald Trump was reportedly inside the White House at the time of the shooting. There was no immediate public statement from the president following the incident.

The shooting came as several senior administration officials, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Vice President JD Vance, had recently departed the White House grounds.

The FBI and Metropolitan Police Department responded alongside the Secret Service. FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was assisting with the investigation.

Security concerns grow after recent incidents

Saturday’s shooting comes less than a month after an alleged assassination attempt targeting Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington.

It also follows another shooting near the Washington Monument earlier this month, in which Secret Service officers shot a suspect after gunfire erupted near the White House area. A teenage bystander was injured in that incident.

Authorities continue to investigate Saturday’s shooting and have urged the public to avoid the area near the White House.