The White House North Lawn was evacuated by the Secret Service on Saturday evening after reports of what sounded like gunshots.
Reporters were instructed to quickly move to the White House Press Briefing Room for safety. President Trump was not inside the White House at the time, reports claim.
Two people were shot and wounded in an encounter with the Secret Service near the White House, international media reported.
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
Reported White House firing
Around 20 shots were reportedly heard just after 6 PM Eastern Time. Reports say that the sound appeared to come from the side of the White House complex near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, according to reporters.
The US Secret Service then directed media personnel to move inside the White House for safety.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement to CBS News that the agency is aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. And is working to verify the information with personnel on the ground.
White House spokesperson Steven Cheung had earlier said that President Trump was present at the White House as of 4 PM.
“We are aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW and are working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available,” the Secret Service’s Office of Communications posted on X.
FBI Director Kash Patel also said on the social media platform X that the FBI was also on scene. He said that the agency “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.”
Some reports say that the person who fired the gunshots has been killed.
White House shooting suspect identified
The suspect was identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, according to CNN reports.
A law enforcement source said Best had previous encounters with the US Secret Service. This includes an incident in June 2025 when he blocked an entry lane near the White House.
The reports said that he claimed he was “God” before being detained by the Secret Service and taken to the Psychiatric Institute of Washington for mental evaluation.
The source added that Best was arrested again in July 2025 after he allegedly tried to enter a driveway inside the White House complex. After the incident, a judge reportedly ordered him to stay away from White House grounds.
