WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The shooting that broke out on Saturday evening marks the third violent shootout to happen near the White House, in close proximity to President Donald Trump.
What we know about the Saturday shooting near the White House
At around 6 p.m., a man, identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, approached a White House checkpoint in the 17th St. and Pennsylvania Avenue area, pulled a gun out of his bag and fired off three shots.
U.S. Secret Service agents immediately returned fire, hitting Best. He was taken to the hospital, where he died.
Another civilian was also hit by gunfire. Officials say he is expected to survive.
President Trump on Truth Social commended the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies.
“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’s post read in part.
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran released a statement on Sunday recognizing the “quick and decisive response” that the Secret Service officers demonstrated.
“Their training, vigilance, positioning and immediate actions were instrumental in saving lives. Our officers continue to operate heroically in a heightened political threat environment. We are grateful no officers were injured and appreciate the strong support from our federal and local partners. Our thoughts are also with the innocent bystander who was wounded during this incident. The Secret Service is hopeful he will make a full recovery,” Curran stated.
Who was Nasire Best?
Details are limited, and law enforcement is still working to determine the motive for the shooting.
In July of last year, Best, of Dundalk, Md., had been arrested for unlawful entry after he tried to enter the White House through a different checkpoint from Saturday, again without authorization, according to District of Columbia court records.
During that incident, court records state that he had claimed to be Jesus Christ.
An initial hearing was held, and Best was issued a “Pretrial Stay Away Order.” Best appeared for a subsequent hearing after a notice of “noncompliance” was issued against him in August, according to NewsNation.
Dundalk suffered a series of documented mental health struggles and had reportedly been on the Secret Service’s radar for a while.
Recent incidents of gunfire near the White House
The Saturday evening shooting marks the third time a shooting has broken out near the White House in the last couple of weeks.
The first incident happened on April 25 at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which was held at the Washington Hilton hotel.
The suspect, 31-year-old Cole Allen, reportedly rushed a checkpoint and fired a shot. A Secret Service officer shot at him several times before he fell and was tackled by officers.
President Trump and the First Lady were at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner during the shooting. The Secret Service rushed them both out of the White House to safety.
According to prosecutors, Allen was watching livestreams of the dinner and making web searches about it online. A prescheduled email containing a manifesto was reportedly sent to his family and employer, talking about his plans to hurt top government officials, along with anyone who got in his way.
Allen has since been charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump, along with other related charges.
The second incident happened earlier this month, on May 4, when the U.S. Secret Service shot a person near 15th St. and Independence Avenue, which is at the National Mall, near the White House.
According to a previous report from DC News Now, on that Monday afternoon, the Secret Service said plainclothes officers saw a “suspicious individual.” Officials said the officers saw a visual print of a gun under the person’s clothes.
The officers made contact with the person, who then ran away on foot before taking a gun out and firing at them.
It was at that point that officers returned fire, hitting him.
The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Michael Marx of Texas, was taken to the hospital.
A child was also hit by gunfire, believed to have belonged to the suspect, and was expected to survive.
The Secret Service said that Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade had passed through the area shortly before the shooting.
