WASHINGTON — A bystander wounded during a shooting near a White House security checkpoint Saturday evening remained in serious but stable condition Sunday, according to reports citing the U.S. Secret Service. The person, whose identity has not been released, suffered a gunshot wound described as non-life-threatening, and investigators have not yet determined whether the bystander was struck by gunfire from the suspect or by officers returning fire.
The suspect has been identified as Nasire Best, 21, of Dundalk, Maryland. Authorities said Best approached a security checkpoint near 17th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, pulled a weapon from a bag and began firing toward Secret Service officers. Officers returned fire, striking Best. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
No Secret Service personnel were injured. President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time of the shooting and was not harmed, according to the Secret Service and multiple news reports. The incident prompted a temporary lockdown around the White House grounds and sent reporters and staff members into secure areas as law enforcement responded.
Federal and local authorities have released limited details about the investigation. The Secret Service said the shooting remains under review, and the FBI was assisting at the scene. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said no officers were hurt and expressed concern for the wounded bystander, saying the agency hoped the person would make a full recovery.
Court records reviewed by multiple outlets show Best had previous contact with law enforcement near the White House. In July 2025, he was arrested after allegedly attempting to enter a White House checkpoint without authorization and failing to follow officers’ commands. Court records also say he claimed to be “Jesus Christ” during that earlier encounter and was later placed under a stay-away order involving the White House area.
The motive for Saturday’s shooting has not been publicly established. Authorities have not released information showing that Best was acting as part of a larger plot, and investigators have not announced whether the attack was politically motivated. Some reports, citing court records and law enforcement sources, said Best had a history of mental health-related incidents, but officials have not publicly provided a full explanation for what led to the shooting.
The shooting is the latest security scare near the president in recent weeks. The Associated Press reported it was the third incident involving gunfire in the vicinity of President Trump in the past month, following earlier incidents near the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner and near the Washington Monument.
Trump praised the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies after the shooting, calling their response swift and professional. He also used the incident to again argue for expanded security improvements on the White House campus.
As of Sunday evening, officials had not released the bystander’s name, the exact number of shots fired, or a final determination on whose gunfire struck the injured bystander. The investigation remains ongoing.
