Fresh concerns over security around the White House have emerged after Secret Service officers shot and killed an armed man during a gunfight near the presidential complex over the Memorial Day weekend.
The shooting happened on Saturday evening near the northwestern corner of the White House grounds while President Donald Trump was inside the building, according to officials.
Authorities said the suspect pulled a gun from a bag and opened fire near 17th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue before Secret Service officers returned fire. The man later died at a nearby hospital.
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One bystander was also injured in the exchange. Officials have not released details about the person’s condition. No officers were hurt.
The incident briefly forced the White House into lockdown as reporters gathered on the North Lawn were rushed into the press briefing room after gunshots rang out across the area.
Two officials familiar with the investigation identified the suspect as 21-year-old Nasire Best.
Court records show Best was already known to the Secret Service after several previous encounters near the White House complex.
Last July, he was arrested after entering a restricted area near the White House and ignoring commands to stop. An affidavit filed in court said he had repeatedly approached security posts asking how to gain access to the White House grounds.
The same records showed he had earlier been detained after blocking a vehicle entrance on the east side of the White House. Officers reported that he claimed to be Jesus Christ and wanted to be arrested.
A judge later issued an order banning him from the area around the White House. Court documents also show a bench warrant was issued after he failed to appear for a hearing.
Following the shooting, President Trump praised the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies involved in the response. He described the suspect as having “a violent history” and a possible obsession with the White House.
The president also used the incident to renew calls for stronger security measures around the presidential residence, including a proposed expansion project and upgraded protective facilities.
The latest shooting adds to growing fears over rising threats targeting senior American officials and symbolic government locations.
It marks the third armed confrontation involving Secret Service officers in less than a month.
On April 25, authorities said a man armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives forced his way past a security checkpoint near the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where Trump was expected to appear. Prosecutors later charged the suspect with attempting to assassinate the president.
Another armed encounter took place on May 4 near the Washington Monument, where a Texas man exchanged gunfire with Secret Service officers before being wounded and arrested. He now faces several federal charges, including assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon.
Security experts say the latest attack is likely to raise difficult questions for federal agencies over how individuals already known to law enforcement continue to gain access to highly sensitive areas close to the White House.
Investigators are now examining the suspect’s movements, mental state and how he managed to return to the area despite previous restrictions.
The shooting also comes at a time of increasing political tension in the United States, with security agencies facing growing pressure to respond to threats against political leaders and public institutions.
For many in Washington, the sound of gunfire just steps away from the White House has become another warning sign of a deepening security challenge facing the country.
