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May 2026 White House shooting

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On May 23, 2026, 21-year-old Nasire Best opened fire on a security booth outside the White House complex in Washington, D.C., before being fatally shot by the United States Secret Service. A male bystander was also injured.[3]

May 2026 White House shooting
LocationWhite House
Washington, D.C., U.S.
DateMay 23, 2026 (2026-05-23)
c. 6:00 p.m.[1] (EDT; UTC-04:00)
Attack type
Shooting
WeaponRevolver[2]
Deaths1 (the perpetrator)
Injured1
PerpetratorNasire Best
MotiveUnder investigation

Shooting

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Just after 6:00 p.m. EDT (UTC-04:00),[1] an African American man, later identified as Nasire Best, walked up to a Secret Service security checkpoint, pulled out a weapon from a bag and fired at officers.[5] Officers returned fire and shot the suspect, critically injuring him. He was transported to George Washington University Hospital where he later died. A 41-year-old male bystander was also struck by gunfire.[6][7] The sounds of the shots were caught on video by various White House correspondents, including Selina Wang from ABC News, Julie Tsirkin from NBC News, and Aaron Navarro from CBS News.[8] A lockdown was placed on the White House, which contained reporters and journalists, and was lifted following Best's death announcement.[9]

Perpetrator

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The perpetrator, 21-year-old[10] Nasire Best (2005 – May 23, 2026), a Glenarden, Maryland resident[11] who previously resided in Dundalk, was taken to George Washington University Hospital following the shooting. He died shortly after being admitted.[12][13] Reuters reported that a law enforcement official said the perpetrator had been identified[by whom?] as an emotionally disturbed person, adding that a "stay-away order" had been issued to him previously.[14] Best attended Dundalk High School where he was part of the track and field team until graduating in 2023,[15] which Baltimore County court records confirmed that he faced multiple legal challenges afterward.[16] In December 2024, Best moved from his Foundry By The Park apartment in Dundalk to Glenarden after being evicted by his landlord for not paying multiple rents in three cases.[17]

According to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, Best lived in the Washington metropolitan area for years prior to the shooting and had a documented history with D.C.-area law enforcement, including D.C. police. The New York Times reported that Best had been placed under an involuntary psychiatric hold a year earlier because he had blocked a vehicle from entering the White House and then claimed to be Jesus Christ upon arrest.[13] He was arrested a month later for ignoring commands to keep out of restricted areas of the White House grounds, attempting to bypass a pedestrian checkpoint and enter through an exit turnstile.[13][18] Five senior law enforcement officials characterized his behavior as mental health issues.[19] CNN reported that social media posts ostensibly belonging to Best reiterated his claim to Christhood, and also appeared to threaten violence against Donald Trump.[20]

Investigation

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Federal Bureau of Investigation director Kash Patel reported that its agents are assisting the Secret Service.[21] The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed they are investigating.[22]

Reactions

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In a Truth Social post hours after the shooting, President Trump thanked Secret Service and law enforcement personnel for their response and said the incident underscored the need for a White House State Ballroom.[23] The Hill noted that Trump's recent demand for $1 billion in public funding for the ballroom had stalled in Congress.[23]

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson both praised the performance of the Secret Service.[24]

Al Jazeera correspondent Kimberly Halkett noted that "These incidents are happening with increasing frequency", with the shooting coming only one month after the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting.[25] Analysis by NBC News was similar.[26]

A Dundalk resident who knew Best spoke to Baltimore's NBC affiliate WBAL-TV after reflecting on the incident. He spoke to WBAL that it was "heartbreaking to know a 21-year-old that he just got out of school," adding that "everything goes downhill just by one little incident after school. Nine times out of 10, most problems that go on, there's always a mentally unstable person that could have got help before the problems got that far or anything like that, but it's just like they got neglected."[16]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 "US Secret Service fatally shoots gunman who fired at White House checkpoint". Al Jazeera English.
  2. ↑ "Gunman, bystander shot in encounter with Secret Service near White House". KGW. May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Secret Service shoots person near White House, bystander also shot, law enforcement official says". The Globe and Mail. May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  4. ↑ Selina Wang [@selinawangtv] (May 23, 2026). "I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots. It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  5. ↑ Jaramillo, Alejandra; Benbrook, Julia; Lybrand, Holmes (May 23, 2026). "Sounds of gunfire heard near White House". CNN. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Suspect shot, killed after opening fire on Secret Service checkpoint, officials say". CBS News. May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  7. ↑ "US police responding to reports of shots fired near White House". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  8. ↑ Henney, Alan (May 23, 2026). "Breaking: Gunfire reported near the White House". WJLA. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Secret Service kills man who opened fire at White House security checkpoint". NBC News. May 24, 2026.
  10. ↑ Jaramillo, Alejandra; Perez, Evan; Lybrand, Holmes; Campbell, Josh; Benbrook, Julia. "Secret Service says officers fatally shot a person who fired at them near White House". CNN. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Who is Nasire Best? Here's what we know about man killed in shootout with Secret Service". WJLA-TV. May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Shooting suspect killed near the White House". Sky News. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 Robertson, Campbell; Williams, Clarence (May 23, 2026). "One Killed in Exchange of Gunfire With Secret Service Near White House". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Suspect 'down' after shooting at officers near White House, official says". Reuters. May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Who is Nasire Best? Alleged White House shooter killed by Secret Service had ties to Maryland". The Baltimore Banner. May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  16. 1 2 Keely, Marshall. "Dundalk native fatally shot by Secret Service after firing gun near White House". WBAL-TV.
  17. ↑ "Latest: White House shooter lived in Prince George's County, Md., records show". Union-Banner. May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  18. ↑ "White House Shooting: Who was Nasire Best? Maryland man who allegedly believed he was 'Jesus Christ' killed after gunfire near Donald Trump's home". Economic Times. May 24, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Secret Service kills man who opened fire at White House security checkpoint". WMAQ-TV. May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  20. ↑ Devine, Curt (May 23, 2026). "Man killed in shooting outside White House had previously tried to get inside, had mental health concerns". CNN.
  21. ↑ Mann, Toby; Bennett, Tom (May 24, 2026). "Shooting near White House: Suspect killed after opening fire on Secret Service agents". BBC News. Washington DC. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Gunman opens fire near White House, 'taken down' by secret service". The Statesman. May 24, 2026. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  23. 1 2 Rego, Max (May 24, 2026). "Trump thanks Secret Service, renews call for ballroom after White House shooting". The Hill. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Thune, Johnson both "grateful" for Secret Service response to shooting outside White House". CBS News.
  25. ↑ "US Secret Service fatally shoots gunman who fired at White House checkpoint". Al Jazeera English. May 23, 2026.
  26. ↑ Guilfoil, Kyla. "White House shooting is latest incident in a string of political violence". NBC News.
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