Two West Virginia National Guard members stationed in the nation's capital were shot and killed Wednesday just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence.
FBI Director Cash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the Guard members were hospitalized in critical condition. Mayor Bowser said they were the victims of “targeted shooting.”
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.
Law enforcement reviewed surveillance video from the scene and believed the suspect approached the troopers and pulled out a gun, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
At least one of the soldiers exchanged fire with the shooter, the official said. Investigators were trying to determine the gunman's motive, including whether the suspect attacked troops for any specific reason, the official said.
The shooting happened about two blocks northwest of the White House. Emergency medical personnel took all three to the hospital, according to Vito Maggiolo, public information officer for D.C. Fire and Emergency Services.
The presence of the National Guard in the nation's capital has been a hot topic for months, fueling a legal battle and broader public debate over the Trump administration's use of the military to combat what officials say is an out-of-control crime problem.
The Trump administration has sent 500 more National Guard members to Washington after the shooting of Guard soldiers, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday. He said President Donald Trump asked him to send Guard members. According to the latest government data, the joint task force currently operating in the city includes 2,188 troops.
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.
Police tape cordoned off the scene, where lights flashed from fires and police cars and helicopter blades thundered overhead. Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents were on the scene, and National Guard troops were on duty nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.
“God bless our Great National Guard and all of our military and law enforcement. They are truly great people,” President Trump, who was in Florida for Thanksgiving, said in a post on Truth Social. “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 Guardsmen. He cautioned that much remains unknown, including the shooter's 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,” Vice President Vance said in his Thanksgiving message to soldiers.
A spokesman for Mayor Bowser said local leaders are actively monitoring the situation. Ms. Bowser spent the morning at a Thanksgiving event at the convention center and then held a news conference to explain why she is not seeking re-election.
Mr. Trump posted emergency order in August it federalized local police and sent National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.
Soldiers patrolled neighborhoods, train stations, and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints, collected trash, and provided security for sporting events.
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.
Associated Press reporters Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safia Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Jesse Bedein contributed to this report.
