Federal investigators are reviewing a prior stay-away order and earlier contacts with the suspect.
WASHINGTON — The White House was briefly locked down Saturday after a gunman fired at a Secret Service checkpoint near the complex, setting off an exchange of gunfire that killed the suspect and wounded a bystander, officials said.
The episode unfolded shortly after 6 p.m. near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, a busy security edge of the White House grounds. President Donald Trump was inside the White House and was not affected, the Secret Service said. No Secret Service officers were injured.
Officials said the gunman walked toward the checkpoint, pulled a weapon from a bag and fired at officers. Secret Service Uniformed Division officers fired back, hitting him. The suspect, later identified by law enforcement sources as 21-year-old Nasire Best, was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. A bystander was also struck, though officials said it was not yet clear whether the wound came from the suspect’s shots or from the officers’ return fire.
The gunfire sent journalists and staff on the North Lawn into cover. CBS News producer Emma Nicholson said a crew was preparing a report when they heard multiple shots and ducked to the ground before being moved inside. The White House lockdown ended shortly before 7 p.m., and reporters were later allowed back onto the lawn.
Investigators were examining Best’s earlier contacts with law enforcement. Sources said he had been living in Washington for about 18 months and had been arrested near the White House in 2025 after trying to gain entry without authorization. Officials said he was later sent for mental health treatment. Records and officials also indicated that a stay-away order had been in place before Saturday’s shooting.
The Secret Service said its preliminary review showed the suspect fired first. Law enforcement sources said Best used a revolver. Estimates from people familiar with the response ranged from about 10 shots to as many as 30 during the incident. Several officers were evaluated at the scene, but none were hospitalized.
The FBI joined the response, with Director Kash Patel saying agents were supporting the Secret Service. The Metropolitan Police Department also responded to the area. Officials had not announced criminal charges because the suspect died, but the review of the officer-involved shooting and the wounded bystander remained open.
Trump later praised the Secret Service and linked the shooting to broader security concerns around the White House. Congressional leaders also thanked the officers, saying their response protected people in and around the complex. Officials have not said whether Saturday’s shooting was tied to any organized plot.
By Sunday, investigators were still collecting evidence from the checkpoint area and reviewing Best’s prior case history. The next public update is expected to clarify the bystander’s condition and the sequence of gunfire.
Author note: Last updated May 24, 2026.