US: Two National Guards Shot Near White House in Shocking Attack; Suspect Held

A shocking shooting near the White House left two West Virginia National Guard members critically injured on Wednesday afternoon, just blocks from the presidential residence. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser described the incident as a targeted attack.

The injured troops were hospitalized in critical condition, and authorities quickly detained a suspect who was also shot but is reported to be in stable condition. Officials identified the 29-year-old suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who arrived in the United States in 2021 under a government resettlement program. He had been living in Washington state with his wife and five children.

Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene near a metro station two blocks northwest of the White House. Residents reported hearing gunshots and seeing people running for cover. Social media videos showed first responders performing CPR on one of the National Guard members while attending to the other on the sidewalk.
Mayor Bowser confirmed that the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately began firing at the troops, calling it a targeted shooting. Police said it appears to have been a lone gunman, and investigations are ongoing to determine the motive. At least one of the National Guard members returned fire during the attack.

Vice President J.D. Vance and top military officials, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and General Steven Nordhaus, have expressed solidarity with the wounded soldiers and visited them in the hospital. The attack has intensified security measures in the area, with federal agents, local police, and National Guard members maintaining a heavy presence.

The shooting comes amid heightened debate over the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington and other cities, a program initiated in 2020 and continued under federal orders, aimed at supporting local law enforcement in areas deemed at high risk. The troops have patrolled public areas, conducted security checks, and assisted in local operations.

President Donald Trump, in a video statement, called for a review of the Afghan refugee program under which the suspect entered the country and condemned the attack as “a crime against our entire nation.”

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