Two National Guard members in critical condition after shooting near White House

Two National Guard soldiers were seriously injured after they were shot in Washington, D.C., less than two blocks from the White House, in what the city's mayor called “targeted shooting.”

A lone suspect opened fire on two West Virginia National Guard members Wednesday afternoon before being stopped by other National Guard members nearby who heard gunfire, police said.

President Donald Trump, who was in Florida at the time, said the alleged gunman was an Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021.

He vowed that his administration would ensure that the suspect “pays the maximum possible price” for “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.”

Several law enforcement sources previously identified the alleged perpetrator to US affiliate BBC CBS as Rahmanullah Lakanwala, a 29-year-old Afghan national. His immigration status was unclear.

Tens of thousands of Afghans entered the U.S. under special immigration protections following the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from that country in 2021 under former President Joe Biden.

“We must now re-examine every foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden,” Trump said on live television Wednesday night.

A statement from the D.C. Joint Task Force, which oversees National Guard deployments in the nation's capital, said the attack happened around 2:15 pm EST (1715 GMT) on Wednesday near the Farragut Square subway station.

The troopers were patrolling in a prominent position near the corner of 17th and I streets, a busy area where office workers eat lunch.

FBI Director Kash Patel, whose agency is leading the investigation, said at a news conference that the soldiers were “brazenly subjected to a horrific act of violence.”

Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said the suspect “came around the corner” and “immediately began firing a firearm.”

He said the soldiers were “ambushed.”

He said other National Guard members nearby heard the gunfire and responded.

“They were actually able to intervene and kind of hold the suspect after he was shot on the ground until law enforcement got there a few seconds later,” Carroll said.

The suspect was shot four times, law enforcement sources told CBS.

It is unclear what weapon was used in the attack. The motive was not immediately clear.

The suspect was not cooperating with authorities, law enforcement sources told CBS Wednesday night.

President Trump, who is at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, vowed to punish the attacker.

“The animal that shot and killed two National Guardsmen, both of whom were seriously wounded and are now in two different hospitals, is also seriously injured, but will nevertheless pay a very high price,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“God bless our Grand National Guard and our entire military and law enforcement,” he added.

US Vice President J.D. Vance, who addressed troops in Kentucky during the attack, called on “all people of faith” to pray for the victims.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a post on X that both victims were members of his state's National Guard and died from their injuries.

But he soon released a second statement citing “conflicting reports” about their condition.

The attack prompted the White House to briefly close and temporarily halt flights at the city's main airport ahead of Thanksgiving.

Flights through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were briefly suspended after the attack, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

At the scene of the incident, broken glass from a bus stop lay on the sidewalk.

The intersection was filled with police cars, armed security personnel and National Guard troops.

One witness told the BBC he heard two shots, followed by three more.

People fled in panic, some trying to take refuge in a liquor store.

Another witness, who was in his car near the tube station, showed footage he took to the BBC showing two soldiers lying in the street in their uniforms as they were treated by paramedics.

A third person, apparently the alleged gunman, was also on the sidewalk receiving medical attention.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the president asked him to send 500 more National Guard members to Washington after the attack.

“This will only strengthen our resolve to make Washington safe and beautiful,” the Pentagon chief said.

There are currently about 2,200 National Guard troops in Washington.

The force includes contingents from the District of Columbia, as well as Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia and Alabama.

These are reservist forces that can be deployed as military troops but have limited powers as they cannot enforce the law or make arrests.

In August, the National Guard was deployed to Washington to combat crime that Trump called “out of control.”

Overall crime rates in the nation's capital have fallen since troops were deployed, although it is unclear to what extent the decline can be attributed to the presence of troops on the streets.

According to Washington, D.C. police, there were 62 homicides between May 25 and November 25 this year (this category includes homicides).

This compares with 107 murders recorded during the same period last year.

Almost 6,500 offenses have been recorded by police since August 12, compared with around 9,500 for the same period in 2024.

Trump, a Republican, sent the National Guard to Democratic-led US cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Memphis.

He argues the deployment was necessary to combat crime, but opponents have legally challenged the moves, accusing the White House of abuses.