White House gunman identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, believed he was Jesus

The man who allegedly opened fire near the White House in the United States has been identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best. He was shot dead by Secret Service officers after allegedly opening fire near a security checkpoint outside the White House. According to reports, investigators believe Best was mentally disturbed and had claimed to be a modern-day incarnation of Jesus Christ, as per reports.

The incident occurred near 17th Street Northwest on May 24 (IST), when Secret Service personnel noticed Best behaving suspiciously near the White House premises. He reportedly pulled out a firearm from his bag and fired multiple shots, seriously injuring at least one bystander.

Members of the Secret Service’s uniformed division immediately responded and returned fire, critically injuring Best. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was later declared dead.

As per reports, Best had previously been arrested twice for incidents involving obstruction of traffic and entering restricted White House areas. Authorities also revealed that a court order had earlier barred him from approaching the White House, which he allegedly violated.

Commenting on the incident, Kash Patel, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said the investigation is ongoing and more information will be shared once available.

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 (@FBIDirectorKash) May 23, 2026

“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,” Patel said in a post on X.