Shooting Near the White House: Two National Guard Soldiers Injured - Details

A shooting occurred in downtown Washington, D.C., approximately 1.5 kilometers from the White House. Two National Guard soldiers have been injured and there are additional wounded individuals.

According to FBI Director Christopher Wray, the soldiers are in critical condition. The suspect has also been injured and arrested. He is identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who reportedly arrived in the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021.

Lakanwal came to the U.S. under a special visa program designed for Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the Afghanistan war and are at risk of persecution following the Taliban's return to power.

Wray stated that the investigation is being conducted by the FBI in coordination with other agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service.

Mayor Muriel Bowser of the District of Columbia indicated that the attack on the National Guard soldiers was premeditated. “We know this was a targeted shooting. The individual who chose these guardsmen as victims has been apprehended,” she said.

Official reports indicate that the shooter acted alone.

President Donald Trump responded to the incident, labeling it a “terrorist act” and referring to the suspect as a “beast” who “will pay a heavy price” for his actions and “will receive the harshest punishment.”

He also ordered an additional 500 guardsmen to Washington, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced, noting that they would join approximately 2,200 soldiers already in the city as part of the president's anti-immigration and crime prevention initiatives.