Man killed by Secret Service after opening fire near White House

A man who opened fire Saturday near a White House security checkpoint is dead after being shot by officers who returned fire, the US Secret Service said.

- Associated Press

It was the third incident of gunfire in the vicinity of President Donald Trump in the past month.

The law enforcement agency said in a statement posted on X that the man was in the area of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue when he “pulled a weapon from his bag” shortly after 6pm EDT and began firing. Secret Service officers returned fire and hit the suspect, who died at a hospital, the agency said.

The suspect was identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, said a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorised to discuss the investigation. According to District of Columbia court records, Best was arrested in July 2025 after he attempted to enter a different White House checkpoint without authorisation, did not heed officers’ commands to stop, “claimed he was Jesus Christ” and said he wanted to be arrested.

An initial hearing was held and a Pretrial Stay Away Order was issued, typically a measure ordering a defendant not to go near a person or area before a trial. A bench warrant was issued in August after a notice of non-compliance against Best, who did appear for a subsequent hearing.