GUNMAN SHOT DEAD NEAR WHITE HOUSE AS SECRET SERVICE FOILS ATTACK
Read Time:2 Minute, 32 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
A gunman was shot dead by United States Secret Service agents on Saturday evening after opening fire near the White House security perimeter, authorities have confirmed.
According to the Secret Service, the incident occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m. local time when the suspect allegedly pulled a weapon from his bag and began shooting near the presidential complex.
President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time but was not harmed during the attack.
In a statement, Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi said officers immediately returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect.
“Secret Service Police returned fire striking the suspect who was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. During the shooting one bystander was also struck by gunfire,” Guglielmi stated.
Authorities said no Secret Service personnel were injured during the confrontation.
Trump later praised the swift response of security operatives in a post on Truth Social, describing the suspect as a man with a violent history and an alleged obsession with the White House.
“Thank you to our great Secret Service and Law Enforcement for the swift and professional action taken this evening against a gunman near the White House,” Trump wrote early Sunday.
Several US media outlets identified the suspect as Nasire Best, a 21-year-old resident of Maryland. Reports indicated that he had a history of mental health concerns and previous encounters with Secret Service officers.
The shooting triggered a major security response in downtown Washington, with police and security agents cordoning off the area while National Guard troops restricted access around the White House complex.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as multiple gunshots rang out.
Canadian tourist Reid Adrian told reporters he initially thought the sounds were fireworks before realizing they were gunshots.
“We heard probably 20 to 25 what sounded like fireworks, but they’re gunshots, and then everyone started running,” he said.
Journalists stationed on the White House North Lawn were reportedly ordered to take cover inside the press briefing room as the gunfire erupted.
ABC News correspondent Selina Wang, who was recording a social media video at the time, captured the sound of the gunshots before diving for safety.
“It sounded like dozens of gunshots,” she later posted on X.
The latest incident adds to a growing list of security threats involving Trump. In July 2024, the former president survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman killed an audience member and grazed Trump’s ear.
Another armed suspect was later arrested near a golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump was playing.
House Republicans reacted to Saturday’s shooting by thanking the Secret Service for what they described as a heroic response while calling for an end to political violence in the United States.
The incident comes as Trump continues plans for a major reconstruction project at the White House, including a reportedly “drone-proof” ballroom and underground security facilities, which he has defended as necessary for enhanced presidential protection.
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