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

In Washington, D.C., less than two blocks from the White House, two National Guard soldiers were shot and seriously wounded in what the city’s mayor called a “targeted shooting.”

Police said a lone suspect opened fire on National Guard members Wednesday afternoon, then was subdued by other nearby National Guard members who heard the gunshots.

The attack prompted the White House to briefly quarantine the city’s main airport and temporarily suspend flights on Thanksgiving Eve.

President Donald Trump, who was in Florida at the time of the attack, promised that the attacker “will pay a very heavy price.” It was stated that the suspect was an Afghan national.

Multiple law enforcement sources told BBC’s US partner CBS that the suspect was Rahmanullah Lakanwal and said he entered the US in 2021.

A statement from Joint Task Force DC, which oversees the deployment of the National Guard to the nation’s capital, said the attack took place near the Farragut Square Metro Station around 2:15 pm EST (17:15 GMT) on Wednesday.

The troopers were on a high-visibility patrol near the corner of 17th and I streets, a busy lunch spot for office workers.

FBI Director Kash Patel, who is leading the investigation, said at a press conference that the soldiers were “recklessly attacked in a horrific act of violence.”

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

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

“They were actually able to intervene and hold the suspect down until law enforcement arrived on the scene within minutes of the shooting,” Carroll said.

Law enforcement sources told CBS the suspect was shot four times.

It is not yet known which weapon was used in the attack. The reason for this was not immediately clear.

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

“The animal, which shot two National Guardsmen, both of whom were seriously injured and is currently being treated in two separate hospitals, was also seriously injured, but no matter what, it will pay a very heavy price,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“God bless our Great National Guard and our entire Army and Law Enforcement,” he added.

Addressing soldiers in Kentucky at the time of the attack, US Vice President J.D. Vance called on “everyone 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.

However, he soon issued a second statement citing “conflicting reports” about their situation.

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

At the scene, the windows of a bus stop were shattered on the pavement.

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

An eyewitness told the BBC he heard two and then three gunshots.

While people ran away in panic, some tried to take shelter in a liquor store.

Another eyewitness, who was in his car near the subway station, also said he heard gunshots.

He showed BBC footage of two soldiers lying on the street in their uniforms being treated.

There was also a third person receiving treatment on the sidewalk. The witness said he did not know whether this third person was the alleged gunman.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he wanted the president to send 500 more National Guard members to Washington, D.C., in the wake of the attack.

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

There are currently approximately 2,200 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

In addition to the District of Columbia, the force also includes troops from Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia and Alabama.

These are reserve forces that can be activated to serve as military units, but they have limited authority because they cannot enforce the law or make arrests.

The National Guard was deployed to Washington, D.C., in August to combat what Trump called “out of control” crime.

The overall crime rate in the nation’s capital has fallen since the force was dispatched, but it’s unclear how much of that drop can be attributed to the soldiers’ presence on the streets.

Washington DC police figures show 62 homicides (a category that also includes murder) between May 25 and November 25 this year.

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

Nearly 6,500 crimes have been recorded by police since 12 August; this number was approximately 9,500 in the same period in 2024.

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

He argues that the deployments are necessary to fight crime, but opponents have legally challenged the moves, accusing the White House of exercising excessive authority.