Two West Virginia National Guard members were critically injured Wednesday in a targeted shooting just blocks from the White House, prompting a rapid government response and heightened security in the nation’s capital.
The assailant, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, fired on the troops near the Farragut West metro station before being subdued and taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Witnesses described panicked crowds fleeing the scene and first responders performing CPR on the wounded guardsmen.
“This was a targeted shooting,” Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser remarked, emphasizing the unusual nature of an attack on National Guard personnel. Executive Assistant Chief Jeffrey Carroll of the D.C. Metropolitan Police explained that video evidence shows the suspect “came around the corner” and immediately opened fire. At least one of the guardsmen exchanged shots with the assailant.
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a refugee program for Afghans fleeing the Taliban’s takeover. Local officials indicated he acted alone, and investigators were still examining a motive.
President Donald Trump, who was in Florida at the time, described the gunman as an “animal” and promised he “will pay a very steep price.” Trump also directed the deployment of 500 additional National Guard members to the city, supplementing the more than 2,000 already stationed in Washington, D.C.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, announcing the reinforcement, praised the injured guardsmen as “heroes willing to serve in Washington, D.C., [to] serve for people they don’t know and they’ve never met. Because they love their country, their capital and their community, they were willing to do dangerous things.”
The shooting comes amid ongoing controversy over the presence of National Guard troops in the capital. A federal judge recently ordered a temporary suspension of the deployment, which the Trump administration sought to block following the attack.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially reported the guardsmen had died but later clarified that their condition was critical, citing conflicting information. Investigators confirmed there are no additional suspects.
