Two members of the US National Guard were shot and critically wounded in an ambush near the White House on Wednesday, triggering a security lockdown of the American capital’s seat of power and surrounding government buildings.
The service members, who were part of an anti-crime deployment, were attacked near Farragut Square, an area just blocks from the presidential residence. A suspect, who was also wounded, was apprehended at the scene. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, whose state’s Guard members were the victims, initially claimed the troops had died, but he later revised the statement, after discovering conflicting reports about their critical condition.
President Donald Trump addressed the incident on his social media platform;
The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen… is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price
Metropolitan Police confirmed the two soldiers were ambushed by a gunman who appeared from a corner and immediately began firing. At least one Guard member returned fire.
The deployment, which involves nearly 2,200 troops from multiple states, has been a point of friction between the Trump administration and local D.C. officials who have argued the use of military forces for domestic policing is unlawful.
Law enforcement officials have identified the suspected gunman as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the US in 2021. No motive has yet been officially established.
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