The mother of a man shot and killed by Secret Service officers near the White House has said she was shocked after learning about the incident online, insisting that her son was “never violent”.A woman identified as the mother of 21-year-old Nasir Best told The Washington Post that she learned of the fatal shooting through a social media post before authorities contacted her.“No matter what people were posting, it was never violent,” he said.Best was killed on Saturday evening after allegedly opening fire near a White House security checkpoint in Washington DC. According to US Secret Service officials, a bystander was also injured during the shooting and is in critical but stable condition.The shooting occurred shortly after 6 p.m. near the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, close to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House complex.Police said Best fired toward Secret Service officers stationed near the checkpoint. The officers returned fire, seriously injuring him. He was later declared dead in the hospital.At that time, US President Donald Trump was inside the White House but he was not harmed. No Secret Service officers were injured. Best had previous encounters with law enforcement near the White House and a documented history of mental health problems. He was arrested in July 2025 after allegedly attempting to enter the White House grounds near another security checkpoint. During that incident, he allegedly ignored police orders, claimed to be ‘Jesus Christ’ and asked officers to arrest him. He later spent time in a psychiatric facility.The shooting sparked panic around the White House complex, with viral videos showing reporters and television crews running for cover after hearing gunshots.CBS journalist Aaron Navarro described the moments of confusion after the shots were fired.He told the BBC, “As soon as we heard it, we fell silent and I saw other journalists start running away, and soon you heard Secret Service officers saying ‘Get in, get in’.”ABC correspondent Selina Wang also shared footage showing reporters taking cover on the White House grounds.Saturday’s incident marks the third armed security threat near the president in the past month. Earlier incidents included an armed man disrupting a White House correspondents’ dinner and another suspect being shot by Secret Service agents near the Washington Monument.After the shooting, Trump praised the officers involved in the response.“Thank you to our great Secret Service and law enforcement for the prompt and professional action they took this evening against a gunman near the White House,” he wrote on social media.