A crazed gunman who belived he was Jesus Christ pulled out a revolver and opened fire outside the White House Saturday night, before he was quckly taken down by a barrage shots from the Secret Service, sources said.<\/p>\n
Nasire Best, 21, fired at a checkpoint at about 6:10 p.m. after being seen pacing in a strange manner up and down 17th St. Northwest, sources told The Post. He only got off a few shots before he was shot and killed in a hail of bullets from federal officers.<\/p>\n
At least one bystander was hit and seriously wounded in the fusillade, the sources said.<\/p>\n
Nasir Best, 21, opened fire on a White House checkpoint on Saturday evening. Obtained by the NY Post<\/p>\n
Dozens of gunshots were heard outside the White House on Saturday. REUTERS<\/p>\n
Secret Service agents observe the vicinity from the roof of the White House after shots were fired nearby. AP Photo\/Jose Luis Magana<\/p>\n
While a motive for the attack hasn\u2019t been confirmed, sources said Best is a mentally troubled individual who was well-known to the Secret Service for repeatedly loitering around various entry posts and who has violated a previous court order to stay away from the White House.<\/p>\n
\u201cFBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds \u2013 we will update the public as we\u2019re able,\u201d FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n The sound of shots from the incident terrifed members of the press who were doing their normal reporting at the White House, including one ABC reporter who was seen diving for cover during a live stream.<\/p>\n \u201cI was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots,\u201d said Selina Wang, a senior ABC White House correspondent.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now.\u201d<\/p>\n Secret Service quickly put the White House on lockdown and told reproters to gather on the north lawn and to run into the press briefing room. After about half an hour, the lockdown was lifted. The shots rang out a little less than two hours after President Trump announced on Truth Social that he was in the Oval Office working on a peace deal with Iran.<\/p>\n Best, who was taken down by members of the Secret Service Uniformed Division, had previously been involuntarily committed on June 26, 2025, for obstructing vehicular traffic at 15th Street and E Street NW, before being arrested again on July 10, 2025, for Unlawful Entry.\u00a0<\/p>\n A civilian who was near by was apparently hit in the fusillade, Fox News reported. AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n Fox news reported the gunman was a male and that he fired a pistol. REUTERS<\/p>\n After the sound of numerous shots rang out, members of the press who were filming on the White House grounds were seen diving for cover and were told by Secret Service to gather on the north lawn and to run into the press briefing room. REUTERS<\/p>\n The lock down was later lifted at about 6:45 p.m. AP Photo\/Alex Brandon<\/p>\n In that incident, Best bypassed a restricted White House pedestrian control post by walking through an exit turnstile lane \u2014 and made crazed statements when D.C. police and Secret Service agents detained him.<\/p>\n \u201c[Best] claimed he was Jesus Christ and that he wanted to get arrested,\u201d\u00a0 court records of the incident said.\u00a0<\/p>\n While it wasn\u2019t known if the shooting has any political motive, leaders from both sides of the aisle voiced condemnation of political violence after the incident, which is only the latest gunfire in the proximity of President Trump in recent weeks.<\/p>\n Evidence markers are seen on the scene after police responded to reports of shots fired near the White House. AP Photo\/Alex Brandon<\/p>\n Law enforcement agents stand behind yellow tape near the White House, after gunshots were heard nearby. REUTERS<\/p>\n U.S. Secret Service Police investigate scene near the White House where dozens of shots were heard. AP Photo\/Alex Brandon<\/p>\n House Speaker Mike Johnson (R\u2013LA) expressed<\/a> gratitude for the \u201cbrave Secret Service agents who took quick, decisive action to protect President Trump, and our prayers are with victims of tonight\u2019s senseless shooting for a speedy recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n Echoing Mike Johnson, Rep. Cory Mills (R\u2013FL) said<\/a> that \u201cthere is no place in America for political violence, and every leader should be condemning it unequivocally.\u201d<\/p>\n