An Afghan national is in custody after allegedly shooting two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House on Wednesday afternoon in Washington, D.C., in what authorities describe as a targeted attack on uniformed troops, The Associated Press reported. The soldiers, deployed to the capital as part of a federal security mission, were critically wounded when the gunman approached and opened fire near a Metro station before other Guard members intervened and subdued him, according to law enforcement officials cited by AP and other outlets.
“A Lone Gunman Who Ambushed These Members”
D.C. Police Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll told reporters that the suspect “came around a corner” and “immediately opened fire” on the National Guard troops who were conducting high-visibility patrols in downtown Washington, according to the Associated Press and multiple news outlets. Video evidence reviewed by investigators confirmed the targeted nature of the attack, with Mayor Bowser stating unequivocally, “This was a targeted shooting,” the AP reported.
Carroll described the incident as an ambush, saying, “It seems to be a lone gunman who ambushed these National Guard members.” However, investigators have not yet determined a motive, according to U.S. News and World Report and the AP. The suspect is not cooperating with authorities, law enforcement sources told CBS News.
Guard Member Returned Fire to Stop Attack
CBS News reported that the suspect initially had four rounds in his handgun and immediately struck a female Guard member, who collapsed where she stood after sustaining at least two gunshot wounds. Multiple sources familiar with the investigation told CBS that the suspect then took the fallen Guard member’s weapon and continued shooting, striking a second Guard member before a third, uninjured Guard member returned fire, ending the attack.
Other National Guard troops in the vicinity “rushed over and subdued the shooter after he had been shot,” Carroll confirmed during a press conference. However, it remained unclear whether a Guard member or a law enforcement officer fired at the suspect, the AP reported. “At this point, we have no other suspects,” Carroll stated.
Suspect Served Alongside U.S. Forces in Afghanistan
NBC News and CBS News reported that Lakanwal is an Afghan national who previously served alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan, according to officials and a family member. He entered the United States in September 2021 during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan as the Taliban retook control of the country, officials said.
Thousands of Afghan nationals were admitted to the U.S. in 2021 under special immigrant visas offered to those who worked with the military during the 20-year war, while others received temporary humanitarian parole status, CBS News reported. More than 8,000 Afghans were also granted deportation relief under temporary protected status, which President Biden extended in 2023 but President Trump terminated earlier this year, according to CBS. Lakanwal’s current immigration status remains unclear.
Trump Calls for Review of Afghan Refugees
In a video message posted on social media Wednesday evening, President Trump called the shooting “a monstrous, ambush style attack” and “a crime against our entire nation,” describing the suspect as “a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan, a hellhole on Earth,” according to the AP and multiple outlets. Trump said the suspect’s status was extended “under legislation signed by President Biden” and called for a reevaluation of all Afghan refugees admitted under the previous administration.
The Trump administration swiftly dispatched an additional 500 National Guard members to Washington following the attack, the AP reported. The president added, “As we are filled with anguish and grief for those who were shot, we’re also filled with righteous anger and ferocious resolve,” according to WUFT.
Deployment Sparked Political Debate
The shooting occurred one day before Thanksgiving as National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia remained deployed in Washington under an emergency order Trump issued in August that federalized the local police force to address what officials described as an escalating crime crisis, the AP reported. Although the order expired a month later, troops remained on duty conducting patrols, the AP said.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited the injured Guard members in the hospital and posted on social media that his “heart breaks for them,” according to the AP. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially announced the troops had died but later retracted his statement, citing “conflicting reports” regarding their status.
Witnesses Describe Chaotic Scene
Multiple eyewitnesses reported that the area became completely disordered following the shooting incident. Michael Ryan, who stood outside his house, heard multiple loud explosions, which caused people to run away, before he returned to see someone trapped under someone else, while people around him yelled “stay down”.
The AP reported that Emma McDonald entered a nearby metro station right after the shooting, before she found safety in a nearby café, where she saw National Guard members carrying a stretcher with the bloodied head of a victim. The police established a security perimeter with tape, while emergency vehicles operated with their lights on and helicopters conducted surveillance above the scene. The investigation into the motive behind this National Guard personnel shooting on U.S. territory continues. At the same time, authorities face increased pressure to address immigration policies, the military presence in cities, and security measures at critical government facilities.