Two West Virginia National Guard soldiers are in critical condition after being shot near the White House in what authorities are describing as a targeted ambush.
The shooting occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. local time near Farragut Square Metro Station, just two blocks from the presidential residence. Witnesses reported a burst of gunfire before other National Guard personnel subdued the attacker.
The suspect has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a resettlement programme for Afghan evacuees following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
According to law enforcement sources, Lakanwal waited for the soldiers to turn a corner before opening fire. One female Guardsman was shot in the chest, then again at close range, while another was hit in the neck. A third Guardsman managed to tackle the shooter before police arrived.
“The soldiers were brazenly attacked in a horrendous act of violence,” said FBI Director Kash Patel, whose agency is leading the investigation.
Lakanwal was also shot during the incident and remains in police custody under medical supervision. Authorities are treating the shooting as a potential act of terrorism.
President Donald Trump, who was in Florida at the time, said the suspect was a “criminal alien from Afghanistan”, vowing that his administration would ensure he “pays the steepest possible price for this act of evil and hatred.”
Trump also announced an immediate review of all Afghan nationals admitted under Biden-era immigration policies. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has suspended Afghan immigration processing pending the review.
“We must now re-examine every alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden,” Trump said in a live address.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the suspect’s identity, while Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said the attack appeared to be deliberate:
“He came around the corner and immediately started firing. The soldiers were ambushed.”
The incident caused a brief ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and prompted heavy police activity near the 17th and I Street intersection.
Local authorities recovered multiple shell casings at the scene, and the FBI is investigating whether Lakanwal acted alone or was part of a wider network.
Vice President JD Vance urged prayers for the victims, while West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially announced the soldiers had died, later correcting the statement, citing “conflicting reports” about their condition.
