A man in his 20s who died after opening fire near the White House was found to have been on the Secret Service (SS) watch list since last year. He had previously been stopped multiple times by police and protective authorities after approaching restricted areas around the White House or asking how to get inside.
On the 24th (local time), U.S. media including CNN reported that the man who died after being shot by a responding Secret Service agent at a checkpoint near the White House in Washington, D.C., the day before was identified as Nasir Best, 21, of Maryland.
Best was repeatedly spotted around the White House starting last summer. According to court records, he loitered around the White House complex and asked at several access points how to get inside, after which he was placed on the Secret Service watch list.
He was also stopped by police multiple times. In June last year, he was involuntarily committed on suspicion of obstructing vehicle traffic in part of the White House complex. A month later, he ignored warning signs and entered a restricted area on the White House perimeter before being stopped by police.
At the time, Best claimed he was "Jesus Christ" and said he "wanted to be arrested," it was found. His social media account was also found to have posts that appeared to hint at violence targeting U.S. President Donald Trump. A post reading "I am literally the son of God" was also up.
The shooting occurred the day before at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House. On X (formerly Twitter), the Secret Service said, "Shortly after 6 p.m. Eastern time, a man pulled a weapon from a bag and began firing."
A Secret Service officer returned fire at the scene, and Best was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. One civilian nearby was also injured in the process.
The Secret Service said there was no impact on President Trump, who was at the White House at the time.