White House Gunman Identified as Nasire Best, Had Prior Encounters
Quick Look
- Nasire Best, identified by police, fired shots outside the White House on Saturday, hitting a bystander before being killed by Secret Service.
- He had previous run-ins with authorities, including an incident where he claimed to be Jesus Christ and was sent for a mental evaluation.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Nasire Best, who had prior encounters with authorities at the White House, including a mental evaluation, fired shots outside the building on Saturday. He wounded a bystander before being killed by Secret Service agents. President Donald Trump was present but unharmed.
The suspect who fired shots outside the White House, striking a bystander before the Secret Service shot and killed him, had previous run-ins with authorities there, court documents show.
Nasire Best, as he has been identified to the BBC by Washington DC's Metropolitan Police Department, previously obstructed a White House entry lane in June of 2025 and told Secret Service agents he was Jesus Christ.
He was sent for a mental evaluation after that incident.
Best is accused of firing shots outside the president's home just after 18:00 EST (23:00 GMT) on Saturday - reporters filming outside ducked and ran for cover inside. US President Donald Trump was at the White House but was unharmed.
Court documents show that during a June 2025 incident with the Secret Service, Best, of Dundalk, Maryland, told agents he wanted to be arrested.
Despite having a mental evaluation, a month later in July, he again tried to access the White House.
Best was arrested by Secret Service agents after that second incident and charged with unlawfully entering a federally controlled property, according to court records.
He was released after being arraigned on the unlawful entry charge, but in August of 2025, he failed to appear for a status hearing, the documents show. That led to a no-bond bench warrant, allowing law enforcement to arrest him.
Then on Saturday, less than a year later, he reappeared outside the White House and began firing at a Secret Service checkpoint at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
Secret Service officers posted on the corner returned fire, striking the gunman. Best was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A bystander was also wounded in the shooting, but the Secret Service did not give further details on their condition. No officers were injured in the attack.
Trump was at the White House at the time, but officials said no "protectees" or operations were impacted.
"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 on social media.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Further details on the wounded bystander's condition will be released.
Likely · Within days
An investigation into Nasire Best's background and motives will be conducted.
Very likely · Within weeks
Security protocols around the White House may be reviewed and potentially enhanced.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What is the current condition of the bystander who was wounded?
- What was the specific nature of the mental evaluation Best underwent?
- What led to Best's repeated attempts to access the White House?
- Were there any security lapses that allowed Best to get close enough to fire shots?
