Nasire Best, White House shooting suspect killed by US Secret Service, believed he was Jesus Christ and ‘wanted to get arrested’

White House Shooting: The gunman who opened fire near the White House on Saturday evening (May 23, 2026) was identified as 21‑year‑old Nasire Best, according to multiple news outlets. He was killed after U.S. Secret Service agents fired at him in a shoot‑out during which a bystander was also struck, the agency said in a statement.

The incident unfolded shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday, when Best, near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, pulled a weapon from his bag and began firing, according to the U.S. Secret Service. President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time, working to negotiate a deal with Iran, but was not impacted by the incident, Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.



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Police and security forces swarmed the scene, cordoning off access. Secret Service officers returned fire, striking the 21‑year‑old suspect, who was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead. According to the New York Post, Best managed only a few shots before federal officers returned fire, killing him in a hail of bullets.

No officers were injured. The President remained inside the White House during the incident, and no protectees or operations were affected. The case remains under investigation.

What we know about Nasire Best

Nasire Best, the suspect in Saturday’s White House shooting, was taken down by members of the Secret Service Uniformed Division, the New York Post reported. Best, who had previously claimed he was Jesus Christ, was involuntarily committed on June 26, 2025, after obstructing vehicular traffic at 15th Street and E Street NW. He was arrested again on July 10, 2025, for unlawful entry, according to the outlet.

During that incident, Best slipped past a restricted White House pedestrian checkpoint by entering through an exit turnstile lane, then made erratic remarks as D.C. police and Secret Service agents detained him. “[Best] claimed he was Jesus Christ and that he wanted to get arrested,” court records said, as quoted by The Post.

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The motive behind Saturday’s shooting has not been confirmed. However, sources told The Post that Best was mentally troubled and well‑known to the Secret Service for repeatedly loitering near entry posts. He had reportedly violated a prior court order to stay away from the White House.