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Gunman Near White House Had Prior Secret Service Encounters Before Shooting
White House Shooting
Gunman Had Prior Run-Ins With Secret Service
Published
The 21-year-old gunman killed by Secret Service agents outside the White House reportedly had a history of troubling encounters with law enforcement before the deadly shootout Saturday.
According to CNN, Nasire Best had multiple previous run-ins with the Secret Service, including one incident where he was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital after allegedly blocking vehicle entry to part of the White House in 2025.
Court records, cited by the outlet, say Best was stopped again weeks later after allegedly walking into a restricted area outside the White House, where he reportedly told officers he was Jesus Christ and wanted to be arrested.
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. pic.twitter.com/iqdQwh4soq
@selinawangtv
Authorities say the confrontation turned deadly Saturday when Best approached a security checkpoint near the White House and allegedly opened fire at officers, leading agents to shoot back. Another person nearby was struck during the exchange.
CNN also reports Best posted disturbing messages online prior to the shooting, including one post that appeared to threaten Donald Trump and another where he allegedly wrote, “I’m actually the son of God.”
President Trump, who was inside the White House at the time of the shooting, later praised Secret Service agents on Truth Social for their “swift and professional action,” calling Best a gunman with a “violent history and possible obsession” with the White House.