Shooting Near White House During Live Broadcast
On Saturday evening, OAN White House Correspondent Alexandra Ingersoll was reporting live when gunshots interrupted her transmission. This unsettling event occurred just after 6 p.m. ET on the White House grounds.
Ingersoll recalled the moment, stating, “All of a sudden we started to hear loud gunshots. And you might see on the playback video of myself in the middle of that live hit, I quickly ducked…off camera and I guess the studio lost connection.”
The shots were reported to have originated from a United States Secret Service checkpoint located at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, a frequently used passage for both media members and the public. Ingersoll commented on the tight security presence there, noting, “It’s not surprising that he didn’t make it beyond that access point. But it’s certainly concerning that someone would be motivated to open fire there.”
The gunman, identified by the Secret Service as 21-year-old Nasire Best, was confirmed dead following the incident. Reports indicate that he opened fire at the checkpoint, which prompted agents to return fire. Both Best and a bystander were injured; however, it remains unclear if the bystander was hit by the gunman or by the responding agents.
During her report from the North Lawn of the White House, Ingersoll was seen ducking for cover as gunfire erupted. A shocked Ingersoll was heard exclaiming, “Oh my gosh, we just heard gunshots.”
Upon hearing the shots, OAN reporting staff, who were providing coverage on ongoing Iran negotiations, quickly took cover in the White House briefing room after being instructed to do so by the Secret Service. Ingersoll mentioned they remained there for about 45 minutes.
In the wake of the shooting, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to express gratitude towards the Secret Service and law enforcement. In his late-night message, he also referenced a recent shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, emphasizing the need for enhanced security measures at the White House, which he described as “the most safe and secure space of its kind ever built in Washington D.C.”
Trump affirmed, “The National Security of our Country demands it!”
