A 21-year-old man, Nasire Best from Dundalk, Maryland, was identified as the suspect in the shooting outside the White House on Saturday. Law enforcement sources and court documents revealed Best had a history of attempting to access the White House and may have had mental health concerns.

Best was previously arrested in June 2025. At that time, he blocked a White House entry lane, claiming to be Jesus Christ and requesting arrest. Following this incident, he underwent a mental evaluation. In July 2025, he attempted again to access the White House area.

Secret Service agents apprehended Best, charging him with unlawful entry into a federally controlled property in Washington. A judge ordered him to avoid the location. Despite this, records from the D.C. Superior Court showed he missed an August 2025 status hearing, resulting in a no-bond bench warrant for his arrest.

On May 24, 2026, Best appeared outside the White House near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. He pulled a revolver from his messenger bag and fired at a Secret Service checkpoint, according to law enforcement sources.

Officers from the uniformed division, including at least one officer in a cruiser, returned fire and killed Best. A bystander was injured during the incident, though it remains unclear if the gunfire came from Best or the responding officers. The bystander underwent successful surgery but remains in serious condition.

A Secret Service agent rides a bike past a window damaged by multiple rapid-fire gunshots near the White House on May 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

The shooting occurred near a Starbucks on Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The White House History Shop shows visible damage from bullet holes and broken glass.

The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau Force Investigation Team is leading the investigation into the use of force. They will gather evidence, interview witnesses and involved personnel, and establish the sequence of events.

In a parallel review, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. will assess if the incident supports federal civil rights or D.C. criminal charges related to the police-involved fatality. This is separate from the internal Secret Service review by the Office of Professional Responsibility and the criminal investigation into Best’s actions.

The investigation continues with contributions from Sara Cook, Aaron Navarro, Pat Milton, Jennifer Jacobs, and Faris Tanyos.