It sounded like dozens of gunshots, and then everything changed
At the threshold of the nation's most guarded address, a young man's desperation collided with the machinery of state protection on a Saturday evening in late May. Nasire Best, 21, of Maryland, opened fire at a White House security checkpoint around 6 p.m., was met with return fire from Secret Service agents, and died of his wounds shortly after — while President Trump remained inside and journalists on the grounds bore witness to the sudden eruption of violence. His prior encounters with the Secret Service and documented mental health struggles now cast a long shadow over questions of how the vulnerable and the dangerous are tracked at the edges of power.
- A 21-year-old man drew a weapon from his bag at a White House perimeter checkpoint and opened fire on officers, shattering a routine Saturday evening in an instant.
- Secret Service agents returned fire immediately, fatally wounding the suspect, while a bystander was also struck and left in critical condition — collateral cost of a moment's violence.
- Journalists on the North Lawn were caught mid-broadcast as gunshots rang out, their live footage capturing the raw disorientation of reporters diving for cover feet from the seat of American government.
- Investigators quickly surfaced a troubling profile: Best had prior Secret Service contact and a documented history of mental health crises, raising urgent questions about monitoring gaps.
- This shooting arrives as the second serious security threat against Trump in under a month, following an alleged assassination attempt on April 25, and is driving immediate scrutiny of White House checkpoint protocols.
On a Saturday evening just before 6 p.m., a 21-year-old man named Nasire Best approached a security checkpoint at the White House perimeter, reached into his bag, and opened fire on the officers stationed there. Secret Service agents returned fire, striking Best, who was rushed to a nearby hospital and later pronounced dead. President Trump was inside the building throughout the incident.
The violence unfolded in full view of journalists gathered on the grounds. ABC News correspondent Selina Wang was filming when the shots rang out, describing what sounded like dozens of rounds in rapid succession as she sought cover. Other reporters were caught mid-sentence on live television, pulling off microphones and scrambling for safety — the chaos preserved on camera in real time.
In the aftermath, a bystander was also reported shot and in critical condition. Investigators began piecing together Best's background, revealing prior encounters with the Secret Service and a documented history of mental health struggles — details that sharpened questions about how individuals with known risk profiles are tracked near the nation's most protected address.
The incident is the second major security threat against Trump in less than a month. In late April, a California man named Cole Tomas Allen had allegedly attempted to assassinate the president during the White House Correspondents' Dinner at a Washington hotel. That case had already prompted scrutiny of protective measures; this new shooting, at the White House perimeter itself, has intensified those concerns and placed checkpoint security protocols under immediate review.
The afternoon at the White House security checkpoint on Saturday unfolded in seconds that felt much longer. Around 6 p.m., a 21-year-old man named Nasire Best from Maryland approached one of the perimeter checkpoints, reached into his bag, and pulled out a weapon. He opened fire on the officers stationed there. Secret Service agents returned fire immediately. Best was hit and rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Inside the White House, President Donald Trump was present during the shooting. Outside, on the North Lawn and throughout the grounds, journalists who had gathered to cover the day's events found themselves suddenly in the middle of an active shooting. ABC News correspondent Selina Wang was filming video when the gunfire erupted. She described hearing what sounded like dozens of shots in rapid succession, her composure visibly shaken as she sought cover. NBC News reporter Julie Tirskin, caught off guard by the commotion, asked her cameraperson what was happening even as the camera kept rolling. Another reporter who had been discussing economic matters on air immediately removed his microphone and took shelter.
The incident was not the first time Best had drawn the attention of the Secret Service. According to reporting, he had multiple prior encounters with the agency and a documented history of mental health struggles. These details emerged in the hours after the shooting as investigators began piecing together what had motivated the attack.
In the chaos, a bystander was also struck by gunfire. Both the shooter and the civilian were initially reported to be in critical condition, though Best's death was later confirmed. The bystander's condition remained uncertain as the evening progressed.
The shooting marked the second significant security threat against Trump in less than a month. On April 25, just weeks earlier, a man named Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California, had allegedly attempted to assassinate the president as Trump attended the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at a Washington hotel. Allen pleaded not guilty to the charges and remained in federal custody. That incident had already raised questions about the adequacy of protective measures around the president. This new shooting, occurring at the very perimeter of the White House itself, intensified those concerns and prompted immediate scrutiny of checkpoint security protocols and how individuals with known mental health crises and prior Secret Service contact were being monitored.
Notable Quotes
It sounded like dozens of gunshots— ABC News correspondent Selina Wang, describing the moment of the shooting
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
What was it like for the journalists who were there when it happened?
They were caught completely unprepared. Wang was in the middle of filming when the shots started—she had to process what was happening in real time, on camera, while deciding whether to keep rolling or run. For most of them, it was the sound first. Dozens of shots. That's what stays with people.
And the shooter—what do we know about why he did this?
Not much yet. He was 21, from Maryland, had been in contact with Secret Service before, struggled with mental health. But the investigation was still preliminary when the reports came out. The why is still unclear.
This is the second attempt on Trump in a month. Does that change how people think about White House security?
It has to. You can't have two separate incidents in four weeks without people asking hard questions about who's getting through, how, and why someone with a known history of contact with the Secret Service was able to approach a checkpoint with a weapon.
Was anyone else hurt besides the shooter?
A bystander was shot during the exchange of fire. Last reports had them in critical condition. That's the part that haunts these situations—the person who was just in the wrong place.
How did Trump respond?
He was inside the building when it happened. The reports don't capture much of his immediate reaction—the focus was on the immediate threat and the journalists scrambling for safety.