A 21-year-old man was shot and killed by Secret Service agents outside the White House on Saturday after he pulled out a revolver and began firing at a checkpoint.
The alleged gunman, identified as Nasire Best of Dundalk, Maryland, had a history of run-ins with the Secret Service, including an incident last year where he tried to gain access to the White House and claimed to be Jesus Christ.
White House Shooting
Best had been arrested and charged with unlawfully entering a federally controlled property in Washington, and was ordered to stay away from the White House, according to court documents.
Despite this, Best returned to the area on Saturday, pulling out a revolver and firing at the checkpoint, prompting multiple uniformed division officers to return fire and kill him.
A bystander was also wounded in the shooting, but is expected to recover after undergoing surgery on Saturday night.
Investigation Underway
The Metropolitan Police Department will lead the use-of-force investigation, which will include processing the scene, collecting evidence, and interviewing witnesses and involved personnel.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. will also review the incident to determine whether evidence supports federal civil-rights or D.C. criminal charges, in a separate investigation from the internal Secret Service review and the criminal investigation into the suspect’s alleged conduct.
The incident highlights the ongoing threats faced by the Secret Service and the importance of their work in protecting the White House and its occupants, and it will likely have broader implications for the security measures in place in the nation’s capital.
