Authorities identified the suspect as Nasire Best, 21, after a shooting that injured a bystander and briefly locked down the White House.
WASHINGTON, DC — A 21-year-old Maryland man was shot and killed Saturday after opening fire near a White House security checkpoint, the U.S. Secret Service said, in an evening shooting that injured a bystander and prompted a brief lockdown.
Authorities identified the man as Nasire Best. Officials said he approached a checkpoint near 17th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue shortly after 6 p.m., pulled a weapon from a bag and fired at posted officers. Secret Service personnel returned fire, striking him. Best was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time and was not injured.
The shooting brought a heavy law enforcement response to one of the most secure areas in the country. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the agency’s preliminary review found that the man began firing after reaching the checkpoint. “Our personnel returned fire,” Guglielmi said. No officers were injured. A bystander was struck by gunfire, but officials had not said by late Saturday whether that person was hit by Best’s shots or by return fire. The person’s condition was not immediately released.
Journalists at the White House reported hearing repeated gunfire before officers moved people inside and instructed them to shelter. Roads near the checkpoint were closed as investigators marked evidence and secured the scene. The area sits near the White House complex, Lafayette Square and several federal buildings. The Secret Service said the shooting remained under investigation, and the FBI also responded. Officials had not released a motive, and they did not say whether Best had directly threatened the president before the shooting.
Law enforcement officials said Best had been known to authorities before Saturday’s shooting. Court and law enforcement records showed he had previously tried to enter a White House checkpoint and had been subject to a stay-away order. In one prior encounter, officials said, he made religious claims while trying to approach the complex. Authorities described him as emotionally disturbed, but they did not release a medical history or say what led him to return to the area with a gun.
The shooting came during a tense period for presidential security in Washington. It was the third gunfire incident near Trump or senior protective movements in about a month. In April, a man armed with guns and knives was accused of opening fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while Trump was attending the event. In early May, another man was accused of firing at law enforcement near the Washington Monument after walking near the path of Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade.
Saturday’s shooting also renewed attention on security layers around the White House, where public sidewalks, tourist areas and federal checkpoints sit close together. The 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue area is often busy with visitors, police vehicles and federal officers. Witnesses described a sudden burst of gunfire followed by shouting and movement as officers pushed people away from the scene. Investigators later examined the checkpoint area while emergency vehicles remained posted nearby.
The legal case against Best ended with his death, but the investigation did not. Federal agents were expected to review officer weapons, surveillance video, radio traffic, witness accounts and the gun recovered at the scene. Officials also were expected to determine the path of the round that struck the bystander. The Secret Service said it would continue to review the shooting as part of standard procedures after an officer-involved use of deadly force.
By late Saturday, the lockdown had ended and the White House complex had returned to a more normal security posture. Officials said Trump continued working after the shooting. The next major update is expected from federal investigators as they confirm the bystander’s condition, Best’s prior contacts with authorities and the sequence of gunfire at the checkpoint.
Author note: Last updated May 24, 2026.