A gunman was shot and killed by the Secret Service after opening fire near the White House on Saturday evening, according to law enforcement officials and multiple reports. The incident prompted a security lockdown around the presidential complex as shots were fired toward the executive mansion, raising immediate concerns about the safety of the area and the president, who was inside at the time.
According to the Secret Service, the confrontation began just after 6 p.m. when an individual approached a checkpoint near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, pulled a weapon from a bag and fired at officers. Secret Service personnel returned fire, striking the suspect. The man was taken to a hospital, where he later died, officials said. The agency also said a bystander was hit by gunfire during the incident, though it was not immediately clear whether that person was struck by the suspect or during the exchange of gunfire.
News outlets including The Independent reported that White House journalists heard numerous gunshots before security personnel told them to move indoors, and the White House complex was placed under lockdown. Bloomberg also reported that the shooting took place near the White House and involved Secret Service agents responding to a man who fired a gun in the area. The president was not injured, and there were no reports that the suspect got inside the White House perimeter.
The motive for the shooting has not been made public. However, later reporting from NewsNation, citing law enforcement sources and Reuters, identified the suspect as Nesire Best and said he had previously been under a stay-away order. Officials have not yet released a full account of the suspect’s background or what led up to the attack.
The shooting underscores the sensitivity of security around the White House, one of the most heavily protected sites in the United States. Any gunfire near the presidential residence triggers an immediate response from the Secret Service, which is charged with protecting the president and securing the complex. The incident is now under investigation as authorities work to determine exactly how the exchange unfolded and the condition of the bystander who was wounded.
