WASHINGTON — A man who had a long and troubled history with the Secret Service finally took a fatal shot outside the White House last night, killing himself in the process and critically wounding a passerby.
The suspect, 32‑year‑old Nasir Best of Dundalk, Maryland, had already made headlines in June and July of 2025 when he approached a White House access lane and declared, “I am Jesus Christ.” Secret Service agents documented the incident and referred Best for a mental‑health evaluation. A month later he attempted to enter the premises again, was arrested and charged with unlawful entry of a federally controlled property. Best was arraigned but released; a missed status hearing in August led to a no‑bond bench warrant, allowing his eventual arrest.
On Saturday night, after 18:00 EST, Best returned to the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW—near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. He fired a series of shots at a Secret Service checkpoint, striking a civilian who was also shot and now being treated as a serious injury. The Secret Service officers—postured for such incidents—returned fire and hit Best, who later died in the field hospital.
No officers or the President—who was present at the White House at the time—were injured. The incident, occurring one month after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner that forced Trump to be escorted out, raises difficult questions about how individuals with repeated run‑ins are handled.
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, President Donald Trump posted on social media.
The bystander’s condition remains stable, and the case is currently being investigated under federal firearms law. Police are urging anyone with concerns about Best’s health or potential threats to report immediately. The Secret Service is reviewing its protocols for evaluating individuals who repeatedly confront the White House’s perimeter.
The suspect, 32‑year‑old Nasir Best of Dundalk, Maryland, had already made headlines in June and July of 2025 when he approached a White House access lane and declared, “I am Jesus Christ.” Secret Service agents documented the incident and referred Best for a mental‑health evaluation. A month later he attempted to enter the premises again, was arrested and charged with unlawful entry of a federally controlled property. Best was arraigned but released; a missed status hearing in August led to a no‑bond bench warrant, allowing his eventual arrest.
On Saturday night, after 18:00 EST, Best returned to the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW—near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. He fired a series of shots at a Secret Service checkpoint, striking a civilian who was also shot and now being treated as a serious injury. The Secret Service officers—postured for such incidents—returned fire and hit Best, who later died in the field hospital.
No officers or the President—who was present at the White House at the time—were injured. The incident, occurring one month after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner that forced Trump to be escorted out, raises difficult questions about how individuals with repeated run‑ins are handled.
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, President Donald Trump posted on social media.
The bystander’s condition remains stable, and the case is currently being investigated under federal firearms law. Police are urging anyone with concerns about Best’s health or potential threats to report immediately. The Secret Service is reviewing its protocols for evaluating individuals who repeatedly confront the White House’s perimeter.
