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Army Private Files $25 Million Claim After Secret Service Shooting

7/22/2026

27 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Benjamin Del Real Jr., an Army private first class, filed a $25 million claim on July 21, 2026, requesting preservation of firearms, shell casings and video.
He said he was shot on May 23, 2026, near 17th Street after Secret Service agents fired at 21-year-old Nasire Best, who died.
The Secret Service confirmed a bystander was hit but has not said if its agents fired the bullet, while investigators are reviewing the case.

History

Historical Context

The 1984 Victims of Crime Act created a federal fund for victims of terrorism, and the Patriot Act later added supplemental grants and a $50 million emergency reserve after the September 11 attacks. Benjamin Del Real Jr.’s July 2026 $25 million claim for injuries caused by a Secret Service bullet tests that compensation framework and sparks renewed scrutiny of federal-agent use-of-force policies.

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Story summary

Benjamin Del Real Jr., an Army private first class, filed a $25 million claim on July 21, 2026, requesting preservation of firearms, shell casings and video.
He said he was shot on May 23, 2026, near 17th Street after Secret Service agents fired at 21-year-old Nasire Best, who died.
The Secret Service confirmed a bystander was hit but has not said if its agents fired the bullet, while investigators are reviewing the case.

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