US authorities responded to a shooting incident near the White House on Saturday evening (US time), about a month after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in the capital. Officials have since confirmed that the US Secret Service fatally shot a suspect who opened fire on them at a security checkpoint. In light of the given circumstances, the presidential residence was briefly put under lockdown.

Who was the suspect?

According to NBC News, six senior law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation identified the suspect as Nasire Best. According to five senior law enforcement officials, Best has a prior record with local police and a history of mental health-related issues, the report added.

One bystander was also wounded in the shooting. The person’s condition was not immediately known.

Fox News Digital has since also reported that Best was 21 years old, citing sources who revealed that the suspect had multiple brushes with the Secret Service before the Saturday shooting. The US report further indicated that the man was detained in June 2025 for flagging down agents and issuing threats. Weeks later, he is also said to have entered a restricted area.

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Elsewhere, a CBS News report also suggested that Nasire Best had tried gaining entru to the White House in July 2025. He was ultimately arrested and sent to a psychiatric war for mental health issues. According to court records detailing the July incident, Best made unstable statements, calling himself “Jesus Christ,” when DC police and Secret Service agents detained him at the time, The New York Post reported.

The suspect’s motive for this week’s incident wasn’t immediately revealed.

White House shooting: What happened?

According to a statement shared by the Secret Service, the harrowing incident unfolded shortly after 6 pm. A violent exchange of gunfire took place between the suspect and officers after the person involved pulled a gun from a bag at the Secret Service checkpoint at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The suspect was eventually taken to a hospital, where he was confirmed dead, NBC News reported.

Journalists and reporters affiliated with several US news agencies were present in the area when the incident occurred. Many of them have since spoken out about the chilling incident. Law enforcement sources told CBS News that approximately 15 to 30 gunshots were fired on the scene.

ABC News’ White House correspondent Selina Wang even shared a video on social media showing that one of her reports on US-Iran peace negotiations was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. She is seen diving to take cover amid what “sounded like dozens of gunfire.”

An NBC News team at the White House claimed to have heard between 20 and 30 gunshots at around 6:04 pm. A CBS News producer also estimated that at least 20 shots had been fired. Additionally, local news channel DC News Now anchor Chris Flanagan reported hearing about 30 shots.

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Reporters listed above confirmed that everyone present at the scene was urged to sprint to the White House briefing room for safety.

Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel informed via X, “FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds – we will update the public as we’re able.”

Where was Trump during the White House shooting?

US President Donald Trump was at the White House at the time of the shooting. The Secret Service has since affirmed that the commander-in-chief was not harmed during the incident.

Merely hours before it all happened, White House Communications director Steven Cheung posted online that Trump was in the executive mansion.

Trump, on his part, had also confirmed hours earlier via Truth Social that he was in the Oval Office at the White House “where he just had a very good call with President Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of The United Arab Emirates, Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and Minister Ali al-Thawadi, of Qatar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, of Pakistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of Türkiye, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, of Egypt, King Abdullah II, of Jordan, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, of Bahrain, concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all things related to a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE.”

After his talks with the group of international leaders, the POTUS revealed that a potential peace deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated, subject to finalisation between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed.”

Around the same time, he also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a separate call.