Gunman Shot Dead Near White House Security Checkpoint; Third Incident in a Month

A man opened fire near a White House security checkpoint Saturday evening and was shot dead by Secret Service officers who returned fire, marking the third gunfire incident in the vicinity of President Donald Trump in the past 30 days.

The suspect, identified by a law enforcement official as Nasire Best, 21, pulled a weapon from his bag at approximately 6 p.m. EDT near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and began shooting, the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement posted on X. Officers returned fire, striking Best, who died at a hospital. The law enforcement official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

None of the Secret Service officers were injured. Trump, who had changed plans Friday to remain at the White House rather than travel to his New Jersey golf club, was not "impacted," the agency said. A bystander was also struck during the exchange of gunfire, though a second law enforcement official said it remained unclear whether that person was hit by Best's initial rounds or officers' return fire.

For Treasure Coast residents, the incident carries direct significance: Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), whose district encompasses Martin and St. Lucie counties, is among Florida delegation members who regularly move through the White House complex and the surrounding security perimeter. The escalating pattern of armed incidents at the seat of the executive branch raises urgent questions about the security environment members of Congress and their staffs navigate.

District of Columbia court records show Best was arrested in July 2025 after attempting to enter a separate White House checkpoint without authorization. He ignored officers' commands to stop and claimed to be Jesus Christ. A Pretrial Stay Away Order was issued following an initial hearing. A bench warrant was subsequently issued in August after a notice of noncompliance, though Best did appear for a later court date.

Saturday's shooting is the third such incident in roughly a month. On April 25, Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California — who has pleaded not guilty — is accused of firing a shotgun at a Secret Service officer inside the Washington hotel hosting the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in what authorities called an attempted assassination of the president. On May 4, officers shot Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, near the Washington Monument after he allegedly fired at officers. Marx has been charged in U.S. District Court. A teenage bystander was wounded in that incident.

Journalists stationed at the White House Saturday evening reported hearing what ABC News correspondent Selina Wang described on X as "dozens of gunshots" before being directed to shelter inside the press briefing room. Video Wang posted — filmed seconds before the shots rang out — was viewed at least three million times by Saturday evening.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed on social media that FBI personnel were on scene. "We will update the public as we're able," Patel wrote. No charges had been filed as of Saturday evening, and the investigation remained active.

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