[WASHINGTON] The suspect who was shot and killed after opening fire at police officers near a security checkpoint near the White House has been identified as a 21-year-old man from Maryland. It has been revealed that the suspect had attempted to breach the White House complex multiple times in the past and had a history of severe mental illness, sending shockwaves through American society.
According to local media outlets, including CNN, on the 24th (local time), the U.S. Secret Service (SS) and local police officially announced that the suspect in the previous day's shooting was Nasir Best, 21, residing in Maryland. Investigations revealed that Best was already on the Secret Service's watch list due to his potential for committing serious offenses.
"I am Jesus Christ"... Repeated Attempts to Trespass into the White House
According to court records and law enforcement announcements, Best had been habitually loitering around the White House since last summer, searching for security vulnerabilities. He demonstrated bizarre behavior, such as wandering around various access points of the White House complex and blatantly inquiring about methods to gain entry inside.
Consequently, in June last year, he was detained for disrupting vehicular traffic and causing a disturbance in certain areas of the White House complex, leading to an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization by court order. However, just a month after his release, in July, he was apprehended by police again after ignoring warning signs and trespassing into a restricted perimeter outside the White House. During the arrest, Best exhibited severe delusional symptoms, claiming to officers that he was "Jesus Christ" and demanding, "I want to be arrested."
Such religious delusions and violent tendencies were clearly reflected on his social media accounts. Before his death, Best repeatedly posted statements on his SNS accounts such as "I am actually the Son of God," and it was found that he had uploaded multiple threatening posts implying violence directed at U.S. President Donald Trump.
Opening Fire from a Bag: One Civilian Injured, President Trump Safe
The incident occurred on the 23rd, shortly after 6:00 PM, at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, near the White House. The Secret Service stated through its official X (formerly Twitter) account, "An individual pulled a weapon from a bag and began firing at law enforcement officers on the scene."
Best, who sustained gunshot wounds from the immediate return fire by the officers, was rushed to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead. During Best's indiscriminate shooting, one civilian passerby was wounded by gunfire and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital, though the injury is reportedly not life-threatening.
President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time of the incident, but authorities confirmed that he was not impacted or harmed in any way, thanks to the swift protective measures taken by the Secret Service. U.S. law enforcement agencies are continuing a thorough investigation, analyzing the deceased suspect's acquaintances, computer, and social media records to determine the precise motive behind the attack.
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