Gunshots fired near the White House: Armed attacker shot dead
Another alarming and critical incident occurred in Washington, the political center of the USA. Late Sunday night, Tashkent time, an unidentified gunman suddenly opened fire on guards in the immediate vicinity of the White House complex. As a result of swift and decisive measures taken by United States Secret Service agents, the perpetrator was shot dead at the scene. Unfortunately, one innocent bystander in the area was seriously injured during the shooting.
According to local media citing investigative sources, the attacker was identified as 21-year-old Nasir Best, who had previously attempted to infiltrate the White House grounds. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that this armed confrontation occurred near an official event attended by U.S. President Donald Trump and follows another assassination attempt that took place just a month ago.
A sudden hail of bullets and the panic of reporters
Reporters from the world-renowned CNN were among the first to report that dozens of alarming gunshots were heard around the presidential residence. During these terrifying moments, Selina Van, a well-known journalist for ABC who was at the scene, posted a live video on her 'X' (formerly Twitter) account capturing the sounds of explosions and gunfire. The footage shows the reporter recording a report against the backdrop of the White House when the shooting began, and she is seen hiding in a safe place in fear.
'When the sound of gunfire began to cause panic, I was filming a video for social media on my iPhone on the North Lawn of the White House. Suddenly, dozens of shots were fired in succession. Security personnel ordered us to run immediately to the press briefing room. We are currently hiding there with all the media staff,' Selina Van posted.
According to a statement provided to the press by a Secret Service spokesperson, the incident occurred around 6:00 PM local time on Saturday (03:00 AM Sunday, Tashkent time). The armed attack took place at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, outside the White House complex. The perpetrator calmly approached the security checkpoint, pulled a pistol from his bag, and began firing indiscriminately at the guards. The attacker, who was severely wounded by the return fire of protection agents, died after being taken to the hospital. A civilian passing by at the time was also shot, hospitalized, and is reported by doctors to be in critical condition.
Trump's reaction: 'He had a tendency toward violence'
At the time of the armed confrontation, U.S. President Donald Trump was inside the White House residence. None of the dedicated Secret Service agents were injured.
The head of the White House issued a statement on his personal 'Truth Social' network, expressing sincere gratitude to the security forces for their high professionalism and swift action. He also commented on the attacker's identity, noting that he had a 'strong tendency toward violence and aggression' in his psyche.
As a result of investigations by investigative bodies (CNN and CBS sources), it was officially confirmed that the deceased was 21-year-old Nasir Best. It was determined that he had attempted to climb the White House walls in July 2025 and was arrested at that time. A court order had previously prohibited him from approaching the White House area and government facilities.
During last year's investigations, FBI agents uncovered terrifying posts on Best's internet pages. Among other things, the young man claimed on social media to be the real Osama bin Laden and wrote at least one specific notification threatening physical harm to Donald Trump. Despite this, he had not been caught using a weapon in real life until now. Nasir Best had been living in Washington for the past year and a half.
A chain of relentless assassination attempts against Trump
It is worth noting that this bloody incident comes less than a month after another assassination attempt against Donald Trump. Previously, at the end of April, a sudden armed attack occurred in the lobby of the prestigious Washington Hilton hotel in Washington. At that moment, the White House Correspondents' Association's high-level gala was taking place in the hall on the lower floor of the building.
At that time, Secret Service agents immediately evacuated the President, First Lady Melania Trump, and the Vice President from the hall for security reasons. The 31-year-old terrorist, Cole Thomas Allen, who was arrested at the time, was found with two firearms and sharp knives, and was charged with attempted assassination of the U.S. President. Donald Trump had also experienced several major life-threatening attempts during his 2024 presidential race and campaign. Security measures around the White House have been further tightened.
In your opinion, is the relentless increase in such assassination attempts and armed attacks against U.S. President Donald Trump caused by political polarization in the country or by the excessive freedom of gun sales?
