A gunman was shot and killed by United States Secret Service agents on Saturday evening after opening fire near the White House in Washington, D.C. The confrontation took place shortly after 6:00 p.m. local time near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, adjacent to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building — a large government complex located directly beside the White House compound that houses numerous White House staff offices. President Donald Trump was in residence at the time but was not harmed, with the Secret Service confirming that "no protectees or operations were impacted."
According to Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi, the suspect approached a security checkpoint, pulled a weapon from his bag, and began firing toward officers stationed in a security booth. Agents returned fire, critically wounding the attacker, who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. A civilian bystander was also struck by gunfire during the exchange, though authorities have not released details on their condition. No Secret Service officers were injured. Multiple U.S. media outlets identified the suspect as Nasire Best, a 21-year-old with a documented history of mental health conditions who was known to both the Secret Service and Washington's Metropolitan Police Department. According to law enforcement sources, Best had previously attempted to gain entry to the White House in July 2025 and was arrested nearby, after which he spent time in a psychiatric facility. He had been living in Washington for eighteen months and was armed with a revolver.
The scene outside the White House descended into chaos as reporters on the North Lawn were ordered to run and take shelter in the press briefing room. ABC News correspondent Selina Wang captured the moment on video as she dove to the ground, with the sound of rapid gunfire audible in the footage. Witnesses estimated between 15 and 30 shots were fired. A Canadian tourist described hearing "20 to 25 what sounded like fireworks, but they're gunshots" before crowds began running. The lockdown was lifted less than an hour after the incident began.
The shooting comes roughly one month after an armed man was shot at a security checkpoint near a Washington hotel where Trump was attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner — part of a broader pattern of security incidents that have surrounded the president. Trump reacted on Saturday by praising the Secret Service on social media for their "swift and professional action," describing the gunman as having "a violent history and possible obsession" with the White House. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson also praised the agents' response and called for prayers for those wounded.
The incident unfolded on a day when a large international media presence had already gathered at the White House due to Trump's announcement that Washington was close to finalising a potential agreement with Iran, meaning the shooting was witnessed by an unusually large number of journalists. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, and road closures around the White House were expected to remain in place overnight. No motive has been formally established.