WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House complex was thrust into an immediate lockdown on Saturday evening after a gunman approached a security checkpoint, pulled a weapon from his bag, and opened fire on guarded Secret Service booths. The suspect was fatally shot by responding officers, while an innocent bystander was wounded in the crossfire.

The incident occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m. EDT at a heavily trafficked security checkpoint near the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, just a block from the White House. According to the U.S. Secret Service, the suspect approached the area, removed a revolver from his bag, and fired between 15 to 30 rounds toward the officers stationed there.

Uniformed Division officers immediately returned fire, striking the gunman. He was rushed to George Washington University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

An unidentified bystander was also struck during the chaotic exchange and remains in serious-to-critical condition. Officials noted it is currently unclear whether the bystander was hit by the suspect's initial rounds or by the return fire from law enforcement. No Secret Service officers were injured in the shootout.

Law enforcement sources have identified the deceased gunman as 21-year-old Nasire Best of Maryland. Investigators quickly revealed that Best was well known to the Secret Service and local police, possessing a documented history of severe mental health conditions.

According to federal records, Best had tried to breach the White House perimeter on multiple occasions. In June 2025, he was detained after blocking a White House entry lane, claiming to be Jesus and demanding to be arrested. Following a subsequent breach attempt in July 2025, he was arrested and placed in a psychiatric facility for evaluation. Authorities also noted that social media accounts linked to Best contained posts expressing an "obsession" with the executive mansion and past threats directed at the president.

The sudden eruption of gunfire sent a wave of panic through the White House grounds. Journalists and camera crews working on the North Lawn reported hearing dozens of rapid-fire gunshots and were quickly ordered by armed Secret Service agents to run for cover inside the press briefing room.

ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang captured the terrifying moment on video while filming a routine social media update. The footage, which shows Wang ducking for cover as heavy gunfire echoes loudly in the background, quickly garnered millions of views online.

President Donald Trump was inside the executive residence at the time of the shooting, having adjusted his weekend plans to remain in Washington to oversee delicate, ongoing diplomatic negotiations with Iran. The Secret Service confirmed that "no protectees or operations were impacted" by the incident. Taking to his Truth Social platform early Sunday morning, President Trump praised law enforcement, writing:

"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..."

The FBI's Washington Field Office has assumed the lead on the investigation, working alongside the Secret Service to process the sprawling crime scene, which remained littered with orange evidence markers and medical supplies late into the night. The temporary lockdown on the White House complex was safely lifted just before 7:00 p.m.