“Targeted Shooting in Washington DC Puts Guards in Danger”

Two National Guard members were critically injured in a shooting less than two blocks from the White House in Washington DC. City officials described the incident as a “targeted attack.”

Police reported that on Wednesday afternoon, a lone suspect fired at two National Guard members from West Virginia. Nearby guards, who heard the gunshots, immediately intervened and subdued the suspect.

US President Donald Trump, who was in Florida at the time, confirmed that the alleged gunman was an Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021. Trump vowed that the suspect would “pay the steepest possible price for this evil act, an act of hatred and an act of terror.”

The Department of Homeland Security identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, described as a “criminal alien from Afghanistan.” His immigration status remains unclear.

Thousands of Afghan nationals entered the US under special immigration protections following the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Following this incident, Trump stated that the administration would review every Afghan who entered the US under Biden’s administration.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has temporarily halted processing all Afghan immigration applications pending a review of vetting procedures.

The shooting occurred near the Farragut Square Metro Station at approximately 14:15 EST (19:15 GMT). The soldiers were conducting a high-visibility patrol at the corner of 17th and I Streets, a busy lunchtime area for office workers.

FBI Director Kash Patel, leading the investigation, described the attack as “a brazen assault on soldiers in a horrendous act of violence.” Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll stated that the suspect “came around the corner and immediately began firing,” ambushing the two guards. Other nearby National Guard members heard the gunfire and intervened.

According to CBS News, the suspect was shot four times by responding officers. The identities of the critically injured guards have not been publicly released.