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A suspect died on Saturday after allegedly discharging a firearm near the White House, the US Secret Service reported. The agency stated the event took place just after 6 pm (2200 GMT) near the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, on the outskirts of the White House grounds.
According to authorities, the individual removed a weapon from his bag and began shooting in the vicinity. Secret Service officers returned fire, hitting the suspect, who was taken to a nearby hospital and later declared dead. A bystander was also wounded in the exchange, though none of the officers involved sustained injuries. The bystander's condition was not immediately available.
NBC News, citing six senior law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation, identified the suspect as Nasire Best. Officials told the network that Best had a prior record with local law enforcement, and five senior officials noted he also had a documented history of mental health issues.
The Secret Service confirmed that President Donald Trump was present inside the White House during the incident, though it noted that no personnel under protection or ongoing operations were affected. ABC News, quoting a White House official, reported that Trump was in the Oval Office at the time, working alongside aides Steven Cheung, Natalie Harp, Margo Martin, and others. He was subsequently briefed on the incident.
The Secret Service said the matter remains under investigation. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed his agency is at the scene providing support, and the DC Police Department also said it is participating in the investigation. A temporary lockdown of the White House was lifted shortly after.
In a troubling pattern over recent weeks, two separate armed incidents near senior U.S. officials were recorded prior to Saturday's shooting.
On April 25, a California man carrying a shotgun, a handgun and several knives forced his way past a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' dinner — where Trump was scheduled to appear — before being overpowered by Secret Service agents.
Just days later, on May 4, a Texas man was shot and wounded in a confrontation with Secret Service officers near the Washington Monument, and was reported to have made vulgar remarks about the White House while being transported by ambulance.
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