WASHINGTON — Two members of the West Virginia National Guard stationed in the nation's capital were shot and killed Wednesday just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor called a targeted attack.
FBI Director Cash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said they were hospitalized in critical condition.
The rare shooting of National Guard members comes as the presence of troops in the nation's capital and other cities across the country has been a hot topic for months, fueling legal battles and broader public policy debates over the Trump administration's use of the military to combat what officials say is an out-of-control crime problem.
Jeffrey Carroll, executive assistant to the D.C. police chief, said investigators have no information about a motive. He said the attacker “came around the corner” and immediately began shooting at the troopers, citing video reviewed by investigators.
“This was a targeted shooting,” Bowser said.
Two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the case said the suspect was believed to be an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021 and lives in Washington state.
Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwala, but authorities are still working to fully confirm his background, they said. The people could not discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the service members had died, but he later contradicted that claim, saying his office had “received conflicting reports” about their condition.
The suspect, who was in custody, was also shot and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
After the shooting, the Trump administration quickly sent 500 more National Guard members to Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump asked him to send more troops.
According to the latest government data, the joint task force operating in the city currently includes about 2,200 troops.
The military detained the shooter
The shooting happened about two blocks northwest of the White House near a subway station.
After hearing the gunshots, other troopers in the area ran up and restrained the shooter after he was shot, Carroll said.
“It appears that this was a lone gunman who picked up a firearm and ambushed these National Guard members,” Carroll said, adding that it was unclear whether one of the guards or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect.
“We have no other suspects at this time,” Carroll said at a news conference.
At least one of the guards exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Video posted on social media immediately afterward showed first responders performing CPR on one of the service members and assisting another on a glass-enclosed sidewalk.
Witnesses saw people running away
Stacy Walters said she was in her car when she heard two shots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. “It's such a beautiful day. Who would do that? And we're getting ready for the holidays?”
Emma McDonald, who left the tube station immediately after the shots were fired, said she and her friend sought safety with others in the cafe. MacDonald told the AP that minutes later she saw first responders wheeling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood.
More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members deployed to Washington in August. Last week, about 160 of them volunteered to extend their deployment until the end of the year, and the rest returned to West Virginia a little more than a week ago.
The scene was cordoned off with police tape, the lights of fire trucks and police cars flashed, and helicopter blades thundered overhead. Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents were there, and National Guard troops were stationed nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.
Trump promises shooter will pay
The president, who was in Florida for Thanksgiving, warned in a statement on social media that the “animal” who shot the security detail “will pay a very heavy price.”
“God bless our Great National Guard and all of our military and law enforcement. They are truly great people,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the President, stand with you!”
At Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Vice President J.D. Vance called on “all believers” to pray for the two guards. He cautioned that much remains unknown, including a motive.
“I think this is a somber reminder that soldiers, whether active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and shield of the United States of America,” Vance said in his Thanksgiving message to soldiers.
Gen. Steven Nordhaus, head of the National Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to vacation with troops at Guantanamo Bay to instead travel to the District of Columbia to spend time with Guard members there. “We are devastated by this senseless act of violence,” he said in a video posted on social media platform X.
In August, Trump issued an emergency order that federalized local police and deployed National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.
Last week, a federal judge ordered a halt to the deployment but also suspended the order for 21 days to give the Trump administration time to either withdraw troops or appeal the decision.
Guard members patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints, and were tasked with collecting trash and protecting sporting events.
