Armed Man Shot Dead Near White House After Firing Shots at Security Checkpoint

On Saturday evening, an armed man was shot dead by Secret Service agents after opening fire near a security checkpoint outside the White House. According to President Donald Trump and security sources, the assailant was killed instantly in a hail of gunfire.

The attacker, identified as 21-year-old Nasser Best, began firing at a security post around 6 pm after being spotted lurking suspiciously near 17th Street in the northwest of Washington. According to sources, Best was able to fire only a limited number of shots before Secret Service agents returned fire, killing him on the spot. At least one bystander was seriously injured in the exchange of gunfire.

The New York Post reported that the attacker was well-known to security services due to his repeated presence near White House entrances. He had previously been detained in a care facility in June last year after disrupting traffic, and was arrested again in July after entering a restricted area near the White House.

According to court records, Best had previously stated during an arrest that he was "the Messiah" and wanted to be arrested.

Immediately following the incident, the Secret Service imposed a security lockdown on the White House, and journalists on the scene were ordered to rush to the press briefing room. The gunfire sparked panic among media professionals covering the White House, with ABC correspondent Selena Wang recounting that she was filming a segment from the north lawn of the White House when she heard "dozens of shots" before being ordered to run to the press briefing room.

The incident occurred less than two hours after President Trump announced on the Truth Social platform that he was working on a peace agreement with Iran from inside the Oval Office.