Washington, United States – The area surrounding the White House in the US capital, Washington, witnessed a state of security alert on Saturday evening, after a gunman opened fire near the presidential complex, prompting Secret Service agents to respond to him, which resulted in the death of the attacker and the injury of a passerby in an incident that coincided with the US administration’s preoccupation with the peace negotiations with Iran.
Details of the clash
The incident occurred shortly after 6:00 PM near the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, adjacent to the Eisenhower Executive Building, which borders the White House complex. Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, explained that the suspect approached a security checkpoint carrying a weapon in a bag and opened fire on officers stationed at a security booth. Secret Service agents immediately returned fire, critically wounding the assailant, who was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. A bystander was also injured in the exchange, but his condition was not disclosed.
The identity of the attacker and the security context
US media identified the suspect as 21-year-old Nasser Best of Maryland. Initial reports indicated that Best had a history of mental health issues and had previous interactions with the Secret Service.
President Trump and the scene of the incident
Official sources confirmed that President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time of the incident, where he was continuing his diplomatic efforts to negotiate a peace agreement with Iran, but he was not affected by the incident, as the Oval Office is located at a safe distance from the site of the clash, and the White House has advanced security fortifications that include reinforced barriers and bulletproof windows.
Media chaos and security precautions
The incident coincided with a heavy presence of international media covering the anticipated agreement with Iran, making journalists eyewitnesses to the chaos that ensued after between 15 and 30 gunshots were heard. This prompted security forces to impose a temporary lockdown on the presidential complex, which lasted until 7:00 PM.
Police and National Guard forces were deployed in large numbers, and investigations are ongoing to uncover the full motives behind the attack, which has reignited security concerns related to presidential protection in the United States.
