Authorities suspect that the individual in question is an Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021 and has since resided in Washington state.
WASHINGTON — Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were critically injured in a shooting on Wednesday near the White House, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. They are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser noted that the attack seemed to specifically target the Guard members. The incident took place at the junction of 17th and H Streets in the city’s northwest area, approximately two blocks from the White House, at about 2:15 p.m.
Other National Guard members on the scene managed to apprehend the shooter after he began firing.
The suspect, aged 29, is an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome. This initiative from the Biden administration aimed to evacuate and resettle tens of thousands of Afghans following the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, officials reported.
This program facilitated the arrival of approximately 76,000 individuals to the United States, many of whom had served alongside U.S. forces and diplomats as translators and interpreters. Despite offering crucial support to those facing potential threats from the Taliban, the initiative has faced criticism concerning the vetting process and rapid admissions from former President Trump, congressional Republicans, and various government watchdogs.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced late Wednesday that it has stopped processing all immigration requests from Afghan nationals.
The suspect, who has been living in Washington state, has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Lakamal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, about 79 miles (127.1 kilometers) north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, said his former landlord Kristina Widman.
Wednesday night, in a video message released on social media, President Donald Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration.
“If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them,” he said, adding that the shooting was “a crime against our entire nation.”
Jeffery Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.
“This was a targeted shooting,” Bowser said.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the troops had died, but he later walked that statement back to say his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition.
The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump asked him to send the troops.
Nearly 2,200 troops currently are assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government’s latest update.
Reagan National Airport briefly issued a ground stop due to the incident. Flights have since resumed and the airport is operating normally.
Troops held down the shooter
The shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station. Hearing gunfire, other troops in the area ran over and held down the gunman after he was shot, Carroll said.
“It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll said, adding that it was not clear whether one of the guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect.
“At this point we have no other suspects,” Carroll said at a news conference.
At least one of the guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders performing CPR on one of the troops and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk.
Witnesses saw people fleeing
Stacy Walters said she was in a car when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. “It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this? And we’re getting ready for the holidays?”
Emma McDonald, who exited a metro station just after the shots were fired, said she and a friend sought safety with others in a cafe. McDonald told AP that minutes later she saw first responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood.
Police tape cordoned off the scene, and fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were there, and National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.
Trump vows that shooter will pay
The president, who was in Florida for Thanksgiving, said in a statement posted on social media that the “animal” who shot the guard members “will pay a very steep price.”
“God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
In Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Vice President JD Vance urged “everybody who’s a person of faith” to pray for the two guard members. He cautioned that much remained unknown, including the motive.
“I think it’s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they’re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,” Vance said as he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.
Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to spend the holiday with troops at Guantanamo Bay in order to travel to D.C. and be with guard members there instead.
Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in 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 an end to the deployment, but she also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the administration time to either remove the troops or appeal.
The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and been assigned to pick up trash and guard sports events.
More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed in August. About 160 of them volunteered last week to extend their deployment until the end of the year, while the others returned home just over a week ago.
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