
This is not the way a reporter normally handles their updates from the White House grounds.
It’s been a rainy, crappy day in D.C., and some of the press had little shelters while others were out on the lawn under the trees, doing what they do with all the news about the Iran deal or no deal in the air.
And it suddenly got spicy.
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. It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now. pic.twitter.com/iqdQwh4soq
— Selina Wang (@selinawangtv) May 23, 2026
Some reporters are quicker to duck and cover than others.
New footage of the shooting near the White House pic.twitter.com/aTDtFD2onU
— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) May 23, 2026
Woof.
There were upwards of thirty shots ringing in the air as panicked reporters were hustled into the White House press room for their own safety.
Reports are coming in that three of the shots were from a man brandishing a pistol and firing towards the White House, and the rest of the fusillade was the Secret Service agents returning fire.
🚨: DC law enforcement tells me Secret Service shot two men outside the White House, at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Ave.
1 unconscious/not breathing.
The other conscious/breathing.
No injuries to LE.
Hearing more info on the circumstances but working on confirmation.
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) May 23, 2026
There were no injuries to law enforcement, according to reports. Right now, the shooter is in critical condition, and unfortunately, a bystander was hit as well.
🚨 JUST IN: The White House shooter reportedly FAILED to injure Secret Service or other law enforcement, and is in critical condition
Secret Service lit him up immediately, but so far, there is one other civilian who was injured
It has to stop! pic.twitter.com/4FkapuhglP
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 23, 2026
The tiny red dot on the left-hand side of this overhead shot will give you an idea of how close to the White House this happened and why the Secret Service was the agency to respond in such an apparently overwhelming force.
The gunman never got inside the White House perimeter. Well done, Secret Service.
D.C. Fire & EMS is responding to the corner of 17th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue NW on the northwest corner of the White House for two patients following the report of several shots fired that placed the campus on lockdown. pic.twitter.com/87T6A1C4CP
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 23, 2026
Not a word yet on any ID of the shooter or the condition of the poor person who was hit in the crossfire.
Finding more video now of the moment the shots rang out.
WATCH: Video captures the moment several shots were fired near the White House. pic.twitter.com/13xWGSrQT2
— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) May 23, 2026
More video of the press booking for safety.
🚨 NOW: Footage released of people RUNNING inside and Secret Service coming out ARMED on the hunt for an active shooter
Thankfully, President Trump is INSIDE, fully encased by bullet proof windows and security.
The Secret Service hustled press inside. Authorities are… pic.twitter.com/BjVBDcbW1M
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 23, 2026
MORE: The Secret Service has lifted the lockdown, and those reporters are streaming out to see if they can get any more information.
HAPPENING NOW: The White House LOCKDOWN has been lifted, and reporters have been cleared to leave the press briefing room after shots were fired near the White House.
U.S. Secret Service Statement: “We are aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue… pic.twitter.com/hhH6w0TLIR
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) May 23, 2026
Patel says the FBI is on scene as you’d imagine.
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
Hmm. Fox’s Chad Pergram is saying he was told the gunman came up ‘near’ the 17 gate and lit off some shots.
UPDATE #2: @ChadPergram says a senior admin official told him that a gunman came up “near” the gate 17 and fired approximately three shots at the White House before Secret Service returned fire.
The suspect’s condition is unknown at this time and at least one innocent bystander… pic.twitter.com/LcjhpEqHv9
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) May 23, 2026
UPDATE: Okay, the White House is saying the shooter approached the SS checkpoint, removed the weapon, and began firing at police officers. Obviously, they returned fire and hit him, and no one is quite sure who hit the bystander.
The shooter was taken to a local hospital and died.
MORE: CNN’s John Miller is sharing what he’s being told – a 21-year-old male, ‘who has been identified TO law enforcement,’ but they are not publicly identifying him.
JUST IN: The suspect who opened fire indiscriminately at U.S. Secret Service agents at a White House checkpoint on 17th Street was a 21-year-old male who had been previously known to D.C. Police and the U.S. Secret Service, according to CNN and NBC News.
CNN’s John Miller: “This… pic.twitter.com/YuYCgsfze7
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) May 23, 2026
…CNN’s John Miller: “This is a 21-year-old individual. He has been identified to law enforcement. He has not been identified by law enforcement.”
“He was walking on 17th Street… We’re told he reached into a bag and we’ve seen a bag when we look at those crime scene photos.”
“Pulled out the g*n and opened fire in the direction of this secret checkpoint staffed by Secret Service officers.”
MORE: Reuters fills in a few more blanks and, sad to say, I’m STARTING TO SENSE A THEME…
…The suspect was identified as an emotionally disturbed person, the official said, adding that a “stay-away order” had been issued to the suspect previously.
Earlier, the U.S. Secret Service said it was investigating the incident and FBI Director Kash Patel said his agency was supporting the probe.
This is a rehash of what we already have learned, but it is the official Secret Service statement, so I did want to get it up here.
The U.S. Secret Service has issued a statement regarding the shooting incident earlier this afternoon near the White House at 17th St. NW & Pennsylvania Ave NW in Washington, D.C., that injured two people. The Secret Service returned fire after an individual pulled a weapon from… https://t.co/QhVpZGLMtE pic.twitter.com/GxGspqxPVu
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 24, 2026
I can’t imagine where ‘mentally unstable’ individuals get the idea that acting out their twisted, angry fantasies and shooting people is the answer.
Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal calls ICE agents “fake law enforcement,” and says she will ARREST them for enforcing federal immigration law.
SHE SAYS THE CRIMINAL IN THE WHITE HOUSE WILL NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO STOP US FROM ARRESTING YOU
THEN SHE ENDS BY SAYING ” YOU DON’T… pic.twitter.com/itsqgLGbc3
— JOSH DUNLAP (@JDunlap1974) May 22, 2026
…THEN SHE ENDS BY SAYING ” YOU DON’T WANT THIS SMOKE.”
Welp. I have to apologize for cracking on the reporter who stood in the middle of the lawn to take all of his stuff off before ducking.
At least he knew what was going on.
This reporter has the survival instincts of a lemming. pic.twitter.com/LV2tIJ8QAM
— Bad Hombre (@Badhombre) May 24, 2026
Ah! Good news at last about the bystander.
White House shooting: one perp, DOA. Prior mental history, known to law enforcement. Previous encounters with USSS. One bystander injured, non-life threatening.
— Paul Mauro (@PaulDMauro) May 24, 2026
GUNMAN IDENTIFIED: The NY Post has the gunman’s reported ID.
A crazed gunman opened fire outside the White House Saturday evening, getting off about three shots before he was taken down by a barrage from the Secret Service, sources said.
Nasire Best, 21, fired at a checkpoint at about 6:10 p.m. after being seen pacing in a strange manner up and down 17th St. Northwest, sources told The Post. He used a revolver and only got off a few shots before he was quickly shot and killed in a hail of bullets from federal officers.
A least one bystander was hit and seriously wounded in the fusillade, the sources said.
While a motive for the attack hasn’t been confirmed, sources said Best is a mentally troubled individual who believed he was Jesus Christ and is known to the Secret Service and has violated a pervious court order to stay away from the White House.
Gunman who believed he was Jesus Christ opened fire on White House checkpoint, neutralized by Secret Service https://t.co/89znA0VR1V pic.twitter.com/i3ZUljNyih
— New York Post (@nypost) May 24, 2026
He’d been arrested for trying to get into the White House grounds previously.
Per law enforcement:
Nasire Best was previously arrested on July 10, 2025 for attempting to enter the White House complex.
He had serious mental-health issues.
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) May 24, 2026
MORE: Oh, dear – this is not at all what I wanted to have to correct. CNN is reporting that the poor person caught in the crossfire has died, dang it.
🇺🇸JUST IN: The bystander caught in the crossfire between Secret Service and the gunman who attacked the White House has tragically passed away.
This marks yet another innocent victim of the escalating violence and hatred directed at President Trump. Our hearts are heavy. Pray… pic.twitter.com/9nOBbvCuRW
— And We Know©🇺🇸 (@andweknow) May 24, 2026
Oh, this is awful.
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