A bystander who was injured in a shooting near the White House remained in serious but stable condition on Sunday, according to officials. The victim, whose identity has not been released, sustained a gunshot wound that authorities described as not life-threatening. The circumstances surrounding how the individual was shot remain unclear.
Details of the Incident
The incident occurred around 6 p.m. on Saturday when a man opened fire on a security checkpoint outside the White House. U.S. Secret Service officers returned fire, fatally shooting the suspect. The District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department identified the assailant as 21-year-old Nasire Best, a resident of Dundalk, Maryland. Best was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
President Donald Trump was present in the White House at the time of the shooting, having chosen to skip his son Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding to focus on Iran war talks and other governmental matters.
Context and Previous Incidents
This marks the third shooting near the president within the past month. In April, a man stormed the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner armed with weapons, and earlier in May, Secret Service officers shot and wounded a man who fired at them near the Washington Monument.
In a Truth Social post, President Trump suggested that the suspect had a “possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure.” He also used the incident to advocate for a ballroom he plans to build on the site of the White House’s former East Wing, claiming the shooting underscores the need for enhanced security. Trump is seeking $1 billion from Congress for security upgrades to the White House campus, including the proposed ballroom.
Suspect's Background
Court records from the District of Columbia reveal that Best had a previous encounter with law enforcement near the White House. In July 2025, he was arrested for attempting to enter White House grounds via a different checkpoint, ignoring officers' commands to stop, claiming to be Jesus Christ, and expressing a desire to be arrested.
Best was a track and field athlete at Dundalk High School, from which he graduated in 2023. A woman identifying herself as Best’s mother told The Washington Post that she learned of the shooting through social media and expressed disbelief. She stated that her son “was never violent, regardless of what people are posting.”
