A volley of gunfire was first heard at around 18:00 local time (23:00 GMT), with journalists who were working at the White House forced to run for cover.

The US Secret Service has since published a statement detailing the sequence of events.

The statement said that a person had pulled a weapon from their bag in the vicinity of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, and started firing on its agents. Secret Service police returned fire and struck the suspect. That person was then taken to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

The Secret Service said a bystander was struck by gunfire, but did not offer any details on their condition. No Secret Service agents were injured.

CBS has since reported that the suspect was Nasire Best, a 21-year-old man who was already known to the Secret Service. A source told the outlet that Best had been arrested in July 2025 after he tried to access the White House, and he was subsequently sent to a psychiatric facility.

MNA