Gunman killed by Secret Service after opening fire near White House

US Secret Service agents shot and killed an armed man who opened fire near the White House on Saturday evening, officials said.

The shooting happened just after 6:00 pm local time near the White House security perimeter while President Donald Trump was inside the building working on negotiations related to Iran, according to authorities.

Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi said the suspect removed a weapon from his bag and began shooting before agents responded.

“Secret Service Police returned fire striking the suspect who was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased,” Guglielmi stated.

He added that a bystander was also hit during the incident, although officials did not immediately release details about the person’s condition.

No Secret Service personnel sustained injuries.

Trump later commended the actions of law enforcement officers following the attack.

“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 said on Truth Social.

He described the suspect as someone with “a violent history and possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure.”

US media organisations identified the deceased suspect as Nasire Best, 21, from Maryland. Reports indicated he had a history of mental health concerns and had previously encountered Secret Service officers.

The area surrounding the White House was immediately placed under heavy security lockdown as police and National Guard personnel blocked access to nearby streets.

Witnesses described scenes of panic after the gunfire erupted.

“We heard probably 20 to 25 what sounded like fireworks, but they’re gunshots, and then everyone started running,” tourist Reid Adrian told AFP.

Members of the press corps on the White House North Lawn were reportedly ordered to seek shelter inside the briefing room.

ABC News journalist Selina Wang said she captured the sound of the gunfire while filming a social media clip.

“It sounded like dozens of gunshots,” she wrote on X.

Saturday’s incident adds to a series of security threats involving Trump in recent years.

In April, an armed man reportedly stormed a security checkpoint at a hotel hosting Trump during a media gala, although he never reached the president.

Trump also survived an assassination attempt during a 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he suffered a minor ear injury after a gunman opened fire into the crowd.

House Republicans reacted to the latest incident by stating: “Political violence has to stop.”

Meanwhile, Trump continues work on a $400 million White House ballroom project, which he has described as featuring a highly secure “drone-proof” design and underground military hospital facilities.

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