Who Is Nasire Best? White House Suspect Earlier Said He Was Jesus Christ
Multiple US media outlets identified the suspect as Nasire Best, 21, of Maryland, reporting that Best had a history of mental health concerns and had multiple prior interactions with Secret Service members
A gunman opened fire near the White House on Saturday evening, with US Secret Service agents killing the assailant in a shoot-out during which a bystander was also struck, authorities said.
Multiple US media outlets identified the suspect as Nasire Best, 21, of Maryland, reporting that Best had a history of mental health concerns and had multiple prior interactions with Secret Service members.
The motive behind the attack is not clear yet.
According to District of Columbia court records, Best was arrested in July 2025 after he attempted to enter a different White House checkpoint without authorisation, didn't heed officers' commands to stop,” claimed he was Jesus Christ, and said he wanted to be arrested.
An initial hearing was held and a "Pretrial Stay Away Order" was issued, typically a measure ordering a defendant not to go near a person or area before a trial. A bench warrant was issued in August after a notice of "noncompliance" against Best, who did appear for a subsequent hearing.
It was the third time in the past month that shots were fired near the president after incidents at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April and near the Washington Monument earlier in May.
A bystander was also struck on Saturday, but a law enforcement official said it wasn't clear whether that person was hit by the suspect's initial bullets or those fired subsequently by officers.
Secret Service said none of its officers were injured, and that Trump - who was at the White House at the time - was not "impacted." Trump originally was scheduled to spend the weekend at his New Jersey golf club but changed his plans on Friday to stay at the White House instead.