The WHCD shooting suspect was allegedly targeting Trump officials at a dinner party
The suspect was identified after the shooting near the White House
Madeleine Rivera reports live from Washington, DC, on the shooting incident near the White House where the gunman was killed after the alleged shooting. Retired Secret Service Agent Jeff James provides expert analysis of the incident during ‘Fox & Friends Weekend.’
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Saturday’s shootout between the Secret Servbice and a deranged gunman near The White House marked the latest in a growing series of threats and security incidents involving President Donald Trump and senior administration officials, heightening concerns about political violence.
As investigators continue to piece together the incident, authorities say Nasire Best, 21, from Maryland, approached a Secret Service checkpoint near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW around 6:00 p.m. local time, pulled a weapon from his bag and opened fire on the police.
GUNMAN KILLED AFTER OPENING FIRE NEAR WHITE CHECKLIST, SECRET SERVICE SAYS
A 21-year-old man armed with a revolver was killed after a shootout with Secret Service agents near the gates of the White House, President Trump said. (Courtesy of the New York Post)
According to a senior administration official with direct knowledge of the incident, Best – who is suspected of having previous encounters with the Secret Service and a history of mental health issues – fired about three shots at the mansion before being taken down by the Secret Service.
The shooting happened a few weeks after another armed suspect stormed the entrance to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel.
Authorities have identified the suspect as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, who visited the nation’s capital armed with several weapons and carrying a manifesto explaining his mission. Investigators also said Allen shared anti-Trump comments on social media and allegedly expressed hostility toward Christians in online posts reviewed by law enforcement.
WHCD SHOOTING SUSPECT PLANNED ON TRUMP OFFICIALS, MANIFESTO RESTS
Cole Allen allegedly ran past the Secret Service trying to kill President Donald Trump. (US Attorney Pirro)
According to investigators, Allen intended to target senior Trump administration officials who attended the annual event before law enforcement stopped outside the Washington Hilton.
The alleged WHCD plot comes less than two years after Trump survived two separate assassination attempts during the 2024 presidential campaign, events that dramatically changed the security operations around the president and other top officials.
In July 2024, a gunman opened fire during a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, ripping off Trump’s ear, killing one attendee and wounding others before the Secret Service shot and killed the suspect. Federal investigators later described the shooting as one of the biggest security failures in decades.
TRUMP RALLY GUNMAN DID ALONE, FBI SAYS — BUT QUESTIONS ABOUT BENEFIT CONTINUE
A few months later, an armed suspect was found near the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in what investigators described as a second assassination attempt. Prosecutors suspect that the suspect was standing near the school with a gun before he was spotted by the Secret Service.
The tightening of security has continued since those incidents.
In February, Secret Service agents shot and killed a 21-year-old man with a gun and a gas canister outside Mar-a-Lago while Trump was in Washington. The incident happened around 01:30 in the morning when the suspect did “unauthorized entry“Through the north gate of the resort as another vehicle was exiting. The man has been identified as Austin Tucker Martin, 21, of North Carolina.
In addition to those incidents, government officials have repeatedly warned about a broader increase in threats against Trump and current and former administration officials, including dangers linked to extremist rhetoric, cyberbullying, and foreign adversaries such as Iran.
SUSPECT IDENTIFIED BEHIND BAD SHOOTING AT TRUMP MAR-A-LAGO: OFFICIALS
An aerial view shows President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 10, 2022. (Steve Helber/AP)
Security concerns have extended beyond Trump himself, with repeated incidents, online death threats, and increased security measures for judges, prosecutors, and government officials connected to politically charged investigations and events.
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Taken together, these incidents have raised concerns within the law enforcement and intelligence community about the growing risk of political violence ahead of another contested election cycle.
