A gunman identified by law enforcement as Nasire Best opened fire outside a White House security checkpoint Saturday evening before being fatally shot by Secret Service agents in a barrage of return fire.

Best, 21, allegedly approached the checkpoint around 6:10 p.m. after pacing erratically along 17th Street Northwest near the White House, sources told The New York Post. Authorities said he fired several rounds from a revolver before federal officers quickly neutralized him.

At least one civilian was reportedly struck and seriously wounded during the exchange of gunfire, according to sources familiar with the incident.

Investigators have not officially established a motive, though sources described Best as a mentally disturbed individual who had repeatedly lingered around White House security posts in the past. Authorities said he had also violated a court order barring him from the area. Court documents from a previous arrest indicate that Best believed himself to be the Christian diety.

“FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds – we will update the public as we’re able,” FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X.

The sudden eruption of gunfire sent members of the White House press corps scrambling for cover, including journalists broadcasting live from the North Lawn.

“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,” said Selina Wang, a senior ABC White House correspondent.

“It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now.”

Secret Service agents immediately locked down the White House complex and directed reporters to gather on the North Lawn before rushing into the briefing room. The lockdown lasted roughly 30 minutes before authorities declared the area secure. The shooting occurred less than two hours after President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he was in the Oval Office working on a peace agreement involving Iran.

According to records, Best had previously been involuntarily committed on June 26, 2025, after obstructing traffic near 15th Street and E Street NW. He was later arrested again on July 10, 2025, on an unlawful entry charge.

During that earlier encounter, authorities said Best bypassed a restricted White House pedestrian checkpoint by entering through an exit turnstile and made bizarre remarks after being detained by police and Secret Service personnel.

Although investigators have not determined whether the shooting was politically motivated, lawmakers from both parties swiftly condemned the violence, which comes amid a growing series of security threats surrounding President Trump.

House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the response by federal agents, saying he was grateful for the “brave Secret Service agents who took quick, decisive action to protect President Trump, and our prayers are with victims of tonight’s senseless shooting for a speedy recovery.”

Rep. Cory Mills echoed those remarks, saying that “there is no place in America for political violence, and every leader should be condemning it unequivocally.”

Rep. Betty Column also denounced the attack and urged Americans to “unite behind a common belief that our differences should be resolved at the ballot box.”

Saturday’s shooting is the latest in a string of violent incidents tied to the political climate in the United States.

The gunfire came roughly one month after another armed attacker opened fire near the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner while President Trump was attending. It also follows the July 2024 assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally, when a gunman grazed the president’s ear with a bullet.