The gunman killed after opening fire near the White House has now been identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, a man authorities say had a lengthy history of alarming behavior, severe mental illness and repeated prior confrontations with the Secret Service.
According to multiple reports, Best approached a Secret Service checkpoint near the White House Saturday evening before suddenly pulling a revolver from a bag and opening fire on officers guarding the perimeter. Witnesses described hearing what sounded like dozens of gunshots as chaos erupted around the White House complex.
President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time working with senior advisers on ongoing negotiations tied to Iran and Middle East tensions. He was not injured during the incident.
Best was ultimately shot and killed by Secret Service agents after exchanging gunfire with officers near the White House gates.
Authorities confirmed that no federal agents were injured during the attack, though one civilian suffered serious injuries during the shooting. Investigators are still working to determine whether the civilian was struck by the suspect or caught in crossfire during the exchange.
As more details emerge, investigators say the warning signs surrounding Best appear to have been escalating for nearly a year before Saturday’s deadly confrontation.
According to reports, Best had already been detained by Secret Service agents multiple times in 2025 due to erratic and threatening behavior around the White House complex.
During one June 2025 incident, Best allegedly blocked an entry lane outside the White House while making bizarre statements claiming he was “God.” Authorities detained him and reportedly transferred him to the Psychiatric Institute of Washington for a mental evaluation.
Just weeks later, he was arrested again after attempting to enter another restricted White House area. Following that encounter, a judge reportedly issued an order requiring Best to stay away from White House grounds entirely.
Law enforcement officials now say Best had repeatedly referred to himself as Jesus Christ and was believed to be suffering from severe mental health issues in the months leading up to the shooting, per the Daily Mail.
Moments before the attack, witnesses reportedly saw him pacing back and forth along 17th Street Northwest near the White House perimeter. Authorities believe he then approached the checkpoint and suddenly opened fire.
ABC News correspondent Selina Wang was recording outside on the White House North Lawn when gunfire erupted nearby. Video from the scene showed reporters ducking for cover as Secret Service agents shouted warnings and rushed journalists into secure areas.
Following the shooting, Trump praised the Secret Service response while warning about the increasing threats facing the presidency.
“Thank you to our great Secret Service and Law Enforcement for the swift and professional action taken this evening against a gunman near the White House,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president also stated that the suspect had a “violent history and possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure,” appearing to reference the White House itself.
The incident marks yet another major security scare surrounding Trump, who has already faced multiple alleged assassination threats during his political career.
