A gunman was shot dead by United States Secret Service agents on Saturday evening after opening fire near the White House security perimeter in Washington, D.C., in an incident that also left a bystander wounded, authorities confirmed.
According to the Secret Service, the shooting occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m. local time near the White House complex while President Donald Trump was inside the presidential residence engaged in meetings related to ongoing negotiations involving Iran.
The Secret Service said the president was not harmed during the incident.
In a statement issued by Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi, authorities said the suspect pulled a firearm from a bag and began shooting near the White House perimeter before officers responded with deadly force.
“The confrontation took place just after 6:00 p.m. when a man near the White House security perimeter pulled a weapon from his bag and began firing,” the statement said.
“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 added.
Officials confirmed that no Secret Service personnel sustained injuries during the exchange.
President Trump later reacted to the development in a post shared on Truth Social early Sunday, praising law enforcement officers for what he described as a swift and professional response.
“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, who had a violent history and possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure,” Trump wrote.
Several American media outlets identified the suspect as 21-year-old Nasire Best from Maryland. Reports indicated that the suspect allegedly had a history of mental health concerns and previous interactions with law enforcement and Secret Service personnel.
Security forces immediately sealed off the area following the shooting, while National Guard personnel and police officers increased patrols around the White House vicinity.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as gunshots rang out in downtown Washington.
Canadian tourist Reid Adrian told reporters that he initially mistook the sounds for fireworks.
“We heard probably 20 to 25 what sounded like fireworks, but they’re gunshots, and then everyone started running,” he said.
Journalists present on the White House North Lawn during the incident were reportedly instructed to take cover inside the White House press briefing room.
ABC News correspondent Selina Wang, who was recording a social media video at the time, captured the sounds of the gunfire before diving to safety.
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“It sounded like dozens of gunshots,” she later posted on X.
The latest incident adds to growing security concerns surrounding President Trump, who has faced multiple alleged assassination attempts in recent years.
In April 2026, an armed man reportedly breached a security checkpoint at a hotel hosting one of Trump’s events before being intercepted by security operatives.
In July 2024, Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman killed one attendee and injured the then-presidential candidate in the ear.
Months later, another armed suspect was arrested at a golf course in West Palm Beach where Trump was playing.
Following Saturday’s shooting, Republican lawmakers expressed relief that the president was unharmed and commended the Secret Service for preventing what could have escalated into a major national security incident.
“Thank God President Trump is safe,” House Republicans said in a statement shared on X.
“Endless gratitude to the Secret Service for their immediate, heroic response. Political violence has to stop.”
The incident comes amid heightened political tensions and renewed national conversations in the United States over political extremism, public safety and threats targeting elected officials and government institutions.