The gunman believed to be Jesus Christ was identified as the suspect in the shooting outside the White House and was later killed by US Secret Service members during a shootout near the presidential complex on Saturday night.Nasir Best, 21, allegedly opened fire on a security checkpoint outside the White House, sparking panic in the area and a widespread federal security response. According to the New York Post, Best was seen walking suspiciously near 17th Street NW before pulling out a gun and firing several shots toward officers stationed near the checkpoint.Secret Service personnel immediately returned fire, killing the suspect instantly.
At least one bystander was seriously injured during the shootout, according to sources cited by the New York Post and CBS News. There were no reports of any Secret Service personnel being injured.
The shooting occurred while US President Donald Trump was inside the White House amid ongoing diplomatic discussions related to Iran and the proposed peace framework that includes several countries in the Middle East.
Previous encounters with the Secret Service
According to preliminary information, investigators believe that Best was a mentally disturbed person who had previous encounters with law enforcement and federal security agencies.
He was previously known to the Secret Service for frequently loitering around restricted White House entry points, and allegedly violated a previous court order ordering him to stay away from the area, sources said.Read also | Reports of shooting near the White House during Donald Trump’s talks with IranCourt records from a previous incident reportedly showed that Best made strange statements while in custody by authorities.“[Best] He “claimed to be Jesus Christ and wanted to be arrested,” court records stated.Authorities said Best had previously forcibly committed a crime in June 2025 after obstructing vehicular traffic near 15th Street and E Street Northwest. After claiming to be “God,” he was reportedly arrested by the Secret Service and committed to the Psychiatric Institute in Washington for a mental evaluation, CNN reported. In July 2025, Best was arrested again after allegedly attempting to enter the corridor of the White House complex by bypassing a restricted pedestrian control point through an exit turnstile corridor.
Following the incident, a judge reportedly ordered him to stay away from the White House grounds.Investigators also reportedly discovered several disturbing social media posts linked to Best during previous investigations. According to sources, he claimed online to be the “real” Osama bin Laden.However, law enforcement sources said authorities had never encountered Best acting violently or carrying a weapon before Saturday’s shooting.
The FBI begins investigating
The FBI later confirmed that federal agencies had launched a joint investigation into the shooting.“The FBI is on scene and supporting the Secret Service in responding to shots fired near the White House grounds — and we will inform the public as best we can,” FBI Director Kash Patel said on X.com.
Panic and lockdown in the White House
The sound of gunfire caused chaos among journalists stationed near the White House. ABC News correspondent Selina Wang said journalists were forced to run for cover after hearing what sounded like “dozens of gunshots.”“I was in the middle of recording on my iPhone to record a social video from the North Lawn of the White House when we heard gunshots. It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to quickly run to the press conference room where we are now holding,” Wang wrote on X.
Members of the White House press corps were led into a briefing room while Secret Service agents shouted “get down” and warned against “shooting.” Journalists, photographers and producers were ordered to shelter in place while armed members of the Secret Service secured the North Lawn area.The White House complex remained under lockdown for about 40 minutes before restrictions were lifted shortly after 6:45 p.m. ET.
Trump was in the Oval Office during the shooting
The shooting occurred less than two hours after President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he was inside the Oval Office working on a potential peace deal involving Iran, Israel and several Middle Eastern countries.Trump said in his post that discussions took place with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain regarding a “memorandum of understanding related to peace.”Trump had canceled a trip scheduled for the weekend to his golf club in New Jersey and remained in Washington during the negotiations.Saturday’s incident represents the latest in a series of violent security scares near Trump and the White House in recent months.The shooting came less than a month after another armed suspect opened fire near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner while Trump was in attendance.
