Shots and tension around the White House: the Secret Service shot the attacker.

Moments of maximum tension were experienced this Saturday in the vicinity of the White House after a shooting was reported just meters from the presidential complex, prompting an immediate response from the Secret Service and the total lockdown of journalists and staff present in the area. CNN reporters claimed to have heard between 20 and 30 gunshots coming from the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, in front of one of the nearby entrances to the presidential residence.

The security operation was activated within seconds. Armed agents of the Secret Service deployed across the North Lawn while members of the press corps were urgently moved to the White House press room. According to testimonies shared by journalists present, the agents shouted “get down” and warned about “gunfire” while trying to secure the perimeter in case of an active threat.

President Donald Trump was inside the presidential residence at the time of the attack and, according to preliminary reports, was evacuated along with First Lady Melania Trump as part of security protocols. For several minutes, the area remained completely blocked while agents patrolled the grounds with assault rifles and reinforced security checks.

Minutes after the incident, the Secret Service issued an official statement confirming that an individual pulled a weapon from a bag and began firing around 6 PM local time. According to the federal agency, the agents immediately responded to the attack and shot the suspect, who was taken to a local hospital where he later died from injuries sustained during the confrontation.

Authorities also confirmed that a bystander was injured during the exchange of gunfire, although they clarified that no agents were injured. Additionally, they emphasized that neither Donald Trump nor presidential security operations were compromised during the incident.

The attacker was identified as Nasire Best, a 21-year-old African American who was already known to U.S. authorities for multiple prior incidents linked to the White House. In 2025, he had been arrested twice after attempting to enter the presidential complex and had episodes where he claimed to be “God”, which even led to psychiatric evaluations and a court order to stay away from the area.

According to U.S. media, Best had also posted threats against President Donald Trump and messages claiming to be “the real Osama bin Laden”. This Saturday, he pulled out a revolver and opened fire at a Secret Service checkpoint before being shot by federal agents after a brief exchange of gunfire.

The episode occurs just a month after another armed incident at the White House, when a suspect armed with a shotgun breached a security checkpoint and confronted federal agents in a shootout. That situation had already raised alarms about security in the political heart of Washington.