Video: Reporters at White House duck for cover as gunfire erupts

A gunman opened fire at a Secret Service checkpoint outside the White House before officers shot him dead. The exchange injured a bystander, triggered a lockdown across the complex and forced reporters to take cover.

In Short

• Reporters on North Lawn ducked for cover amid 15-30 rapid shots
• Armed security forces escorted journalists to the White House briefing room
• Suspect, 21-year-old Nesire Best, was fatally shot by Secret Service

Panic and confusion unfolded live on camera outside the White House after journalists reporting from the North Lawn were forced to duck for cover and run to safety when gunfire suddenly erupted near a nearby security checkpoint.

Several dramatic visuals from the scene quickly went viral on social media, capturing exactly how the reporters reacted to the incident outside the White House complex on Saturday evening.

One widely shared video posted by FaytuksNetwork on X showed a television reporter calmly continuing his live report about Donald Trump and Republican support moments before gunfire rang out nearby. The journalist finished his sentence before visibly reacting, adjusting his tie and earpiece while looking around in confusion as the situation escalated.

Another viral clip showed ABC News correspondent Selina Wang and other reporters scrambling for safety after hearing what witnesses described as 15 to 30 rapid gunshots near the White House grounds.

Wang later said she had been filming a social media report from the White House North Lawn when the shooting began.

“It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room,” she wrote on X.

A third video that went viral showed a reporter standing exposed and reacting to the sudden burst of gunfire by repeatedly asking, “What is that?” while several others nearby immediately ducked for cover.

The gunfire erupted after a man opened fire at a United States Secret Service checkpoint near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, according to officials.

Authorities said the suspect approached the checkpoint carrying a firearm inside a bag before suddenly opening fire on officers stationed there. Secret Service personnel immediately returned fire, fatally shooting the suspect during the exchange.

The gunman was later identified as 21-year-old Nesire Best. Preliminary reports claimed he had been pacing suspiciously near the checkpoint shortly before the shooting.

One bystander was also injured during the incident, though officials said it remains unclear whether the person was struck by bullets fired by the suspect or by responding officers.

The shooting triggered a swift security response across the White House complex, with armed Secret Service agents securing the North Lawn and escorting journalists into the White House briefing room.

President Trump, who was inside the White House residence at the time, remained safe during the incident.

Federal authorities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), have launched an investigation into the suspect’s motive and the circumstances surrounding the attack.

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