Gunfire erupted just outside the White House on Saturday afternoon, triggering a rapid security lockdown and a swift armed response from federal authorities while President Donald Trump remained inside and continued working.
According to RedState, the incident unfolded near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., when a suspect allegedly approached a Secret Service checkpoint, produced a firearm from a bag, and opened fire on officers stationed there. The tense moments were captured in real time by ABCs senior White House correspondent Selina Wang, who was filming a standup on the North Lawn when the shots rang out and the press corps was quickly rushed into the James S. Brady Briefing Room for protection.
Wang later described the chaos as it unfolded, noting the proximity of the gunfire to the White House complex. FBI is on the scene and Secret Service is responding to shots near the White House grounds. The President is currently at the White House. I was in the middle of taping from the White House North Lawn when I heard what sounded like dozens of gunshots fired nearby, she reported, adding, We immediately got down then heard yelling for us to evacuate to the briefing room. All the reporters on the north lawn sprinted over.
A Secret Service spokesperson issued a preliminary statement explaining that the suspect had approached the checkpoint at 17th and Pennsylvania, withdrawn a weapon, and begun firing at agents. Preliminary statement regarding the shooting incident on 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, the agency posted, accompanying its account of the confrontation that forced agents to return fire in defense of themselves and the secure perimeter.
Agents struck the suspect during the exchange, and officials later confirmed he died while being transported to a hospital. A bystander was also wounded, though authorities have not yet determined whether that individual was hit by the suspects initial gunfire or by rounds fired as agents neutralized the threat, and no Secret Service personnel were injured in the incident.
Multiple law enforcement sources told Fox News Digital that the suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best of Maryland. Those sources further indicated that Best allegedly had prior encounters with the Secret Service and a history of mental health issues, raising renewed questions about how repeat offenders with documented problems are able to approach high-security federal sites.
Fox News also learned that Best had been detained by the Secret Service on June 26, 2025, after flagging down agents and making threats, and again on July 10, 2025, for entering a restricted area. These earlier contacts suggest that federal authorities were aware of him before Saturdays attack, underscoring the ongoing challenge of balancing civil liberties with the need to protect national leaders and secure facilities from unstable individuals.
Throughout the ordeal, President Trump remained inside the White House and was quickly briefed on the situation, with officials emphasizing that he was unharmed and fully engaged in his duties. One White House official highlighted the Presidents work ethic in the wake of the shooting, noting that President Trump is working at 8:00 PM. Cant stop, wont stop, a reminder that, even amid security threats, the business of the nation continues.
The White House lockdown, which lasted roughly thirty minutes, has since been lifted, and the FBI and Secret Service are now leading the investigation into the shooting and the suspects background. This is a developing story, and RedState will provide updates as warranted as more details emerge about the attacker, the security response, and how a known individual with prior incidents managed to once again reach the perimeter of the Presidents residence.
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