What's New: The Shooter Is Dead and Named

The suspect from Saturday's shooting outside the White House has died. The U.S. Secret Service confirmed it.

He has been identified as Nasire Best, 21, from Maryland, according to a law enforcement official cited by CNBC. Best pulled a weapon from his bag near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW — near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building — shortly after 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 23, 2026. Secret Service agents returned fire, hit him, and he was transported to a hospital where he later died.

Prior Contact With Secret Service

According to CBS News, cited by ZeroHedge, Best had a prior run-in with Secret Service in July 2025 — less than a year ago — in which he attempted to gain entry to the White House, was arrested, and was subsequently sent to a psychiatric ward for mental health evaluation.

A man who was arrested trying to break into the White House and flagged for psychiatric issues walked up to a White House security checkpoint 10 months later and opened fire. Questions remain about how this occurred, including whether Best was on a watchlist and who determined he was no longer a threat after his 2025 psychiatric hold.

The Scale of the Shooting

This wasn't a single shot. According to CBS News, as reported by ZeroHedge, somewhere between 15 and 30 gunshots were fired in the exchange.

CNN correspondent Selina Wang was filming a social media video on the North Lawn when the shots rang out. Her video — which shows her visibly alarmed and ducking for cover — had been viewed at least 3 million times as of Saturday evening, per CNBC. She described it as sounding like "dozens of gunshots" and said reporters were ordered to sprint to the press briefing room.

One bystander was wounded. A law enforcement official told CNBC it was not immediately clear whether that person was struck by Best's bullets or rounds fired by Secret Service officers. None of the Secret Service agents were injured. President Trump was at the White House but was, per the Secret Service's own statement, "not impacted."

Third Incident in 30 Days

CNBC notes that this is the third instance of gunfire near President Trump in the past month.

The first was at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April. The second was near the Washington Monument earlier in May. Now this.

Coverage and Background Details

Most of the mainstream coverage treated this as a standalone incident. The prior psychiatric arrest of Best in 2025 raises questions about protocol and oversight. ZeroHedge was the primary outlet that prominently surfaced the 2025 arrest and psychiatric detail, citing CBS News. Other major outlets including CNBC, The Hill, and Axios covered the incident but did not prominently feature Best's prior background.

ZeroHedge also noted that Saturday was an extraordinarily active day at the White House, with diplomatic activity centered on a tentative Iran peace deal announcement still awaiting response from Tehran. The shooting erupted during that period.

What This Means

Secret Service did its job Saturday. They neutralized a threat, protected the president, and no agents were killed.

But three incidents of gunfire near the president in 30 days reflects a broader security concern. A suspect with a documented 2025 arrest for attempting White House entry — followed by psychiatric commitment — showing up armed at the same location 10 months later points to questions about intelligence and monitoring procedures.

Someone in the federal government decided Nasire Best was no longer a threat. One bystander is now wounded. Best is dead. The specific officials responsible for that determination have not been publicly identified.