Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were left in critical condition after being shot in Washington DC, just a short distance from the White House, in what the city’s mayor described as a “targeted shooting.”
Authorities say the incident unfolded on Wednesday afternoon when a single gunman opened fire on the guardsmen near Farragut Square.
Other National Guard personnel in the area quickly moved in and subdued the attacker after hearing the gunshots.
President Donald Trump, who was in Florida during the attack, stated that the suspected shooter was an Afghan national who entered the US in September 2021.
He promised that his administration would ensure the individual “pays the steepest possible price” for what he called “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.”
Law enforcement sources earlier identified the suspect to CBS as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, though his immigration status remained uncertain.
After the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, tens of thousands of Afghans arrived in the US under special protections.
Trump referenced this in a live address, saying, “We must now re-examine every alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.”
Joint Task Force DC, which oversees National Guard activity in the capital, reported that the shooting occurred around 14:15 EST (17:15 GMT) near the 17th and I Streets area — a busy zone during lunchtime.
The two soldiers were on a highly visible patrol when the suspect allegedly came around a corner and immediately began firing.
At a press briefing, FBI Director Kash Patel said the soldiers were “brazenly attacked in a horrendous act of violence.” Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll added that the men had been “ambushed,” noting that nearby Guard members heard the gunfire, intervened, and restrained the wounded shooter until police arrived. Sources told CBS the suspect had been shot four times.
Investigators have not yet disclosed the weapon used or established a motive, and sources indicated the suspect was not cooperating with authorities.
From Mar-a-Lago, Trump condemned the attacker on Truth Social, writing, “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen… will pay a very steep price.” He added, “God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement.”
Vice-President JD Vance, who was speaking to troops in Kentucky when news of the shooting reached him, urged “everybody who’s a person of faith” to pray for the injured. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey first posted on X that both guardsmen had died, but later corrected himself, citing “conflicting reports.”
The shooting temporarily halted flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on one of the busiest travel days of the year. The FAA confirmed a brief ground stop after the incident.
At the scene, shattered glass from a bus stop littered the sidewalk as police vehicles, armed personnel, and National Guard troops filled the intersection.
Witnesses reported hearing a rapid succession of gunshots, sending people scrambling for cover, some seeking refuge inside a nearby liquor store. Footage shared with the BBC showed the two wounded soldiers being treated on the street, with the alleged shooter also receiving medical attention nearby.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later announced that Trump had directed him to deploy 500 additional National Guard members to the capital. “This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington DC safe and beautiful,” he said.
Around 2,200 National Guard members are currently stationed across the city, drawn from DC and several southern and Midwestern states.
Although they can serve as military reinforcements, their authority does not extend to law enforcement duties or arrests. The deployment began in August after Trump said Washington’s crime levels were “out of control.”
According to DC police data, homicides have dropped significantly since then, from 107 in the same period last year to 62 between 25 May and 25 November. Police have also recorded roughly 6,500 offences since 12 August, compared with about 9,500 during the same stretch in 2024.
Trump has also dispatched National Guard forces to other Democratic-led cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Memphis.
While he argues the moves were necessary to curb crime, critics have challenged the legality of such deployments, calling them an overextension of executive power.
