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Shooting outside White House: Blow-by-blow account of what happened; prayers pour in for President Donald Trump
After a gunman opened fire near the White House, several people expressed fears for President Donald Trump who was inside when the incident unfurled.
President Donald Trump was inside the White House when a gunman allegedly opened fire near the western perimeter of the presidential complex Saturday evening.
According to reports, the US Secret Service shot back in a matter of seconds, eliminating the suspect before he could cross the guarded perimeter. According to reports, a bystander was also hit during the gunfight; the degree of the injuries has not yet been made public by authorities.
Blow-by-blow account of what happened
1. Gunman approached White House gate on the West Side around 6 p.m. At approximately 6:10 p.m., the gunman, who was later identified to the Secret Service, was observed walking erratically up 17th St. Northwest.
2. The gunman flashed a firearm and shot three times. According to reports, he used a handgun. The gunman brandished the handgun and fired several shots near the White House.
3. Secret Service fired back immediately. The United States Secret Service reportedly returned fire within seconds, taking down the suspect before he breached the secured perimeter. A bystander was also struck during the exchange of fire.
As the gunshots were heard, the Secret Service instructed reporters recording on the White House grounds to congregate on the north lawn and rush into the press briefing room.
An ABC reporter filming on site said, “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.”
NBC News correspondent Julie Tsirkin reportedly estimated hearing between 20 and 30 shots during the chaotic scene.
4. Gunman taken down. According to the official, the suspect is "down" and was taken to George Washington Hospital. He did not describe the suspect's state or the manner in which he was brought down.
According to the New York Post and a Fox News reporter, the shooter has been identified as Nasire Best. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed agents were assisting the Secret Service investigation. According to Reuters, the suspect was found to be emotionally disturbed and had previously received a "stay-away order."
Read more: 'Dozens of gunshots': Journalist captures exact moment gunfire erupts near the White House
“President Trump is SAFE, thank God.”
The rounds were fired just two hours after President Trump declared on Truth Social that he was in the Oval Office working on a peace deal with Iran.
As reports spread online, supporters of President Trump flooded social media platforms with prayers and messages expressing relief that the president was unharmed.
“President Trump is SAFE, thank God,” journalist Nick Sortor wrote on X.
A user wrote, “Not again feels like yesterday we were just hearing about Cole Allen, Ryan Routh and Thomas Crooks on the news.” They were referring to some of the assassination attempts on President Trump.
Some users also showed concern for the civilian who got shot and wrote, “Prayers to the bystander! How sad…”.
