Two West Virginia National Guard members were shot in what officials are calling a “targeted attack” just blocks from the White House
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Washington DC, a shocking act of violence unfolded in Washington D.C. Wednesday afternoon when two West Virginia National Guard members were shot in what officials are calling a “targeted attack” just blocks from the White House. Both Guardsmen are currently hospitalized in critical condition.
The incident has immediately triggered a federal investigation led by the FBI and prompted a swift and decisive response from the Trump administration regarding national security and immigration policy.
The Ambush: What Happened Near Farragut Square
The shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. near the Farragut Square Metro Station (17th and H/I Streets NW) in a busy downtown corridor.
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The Victims: The two Guardsmen, who are members of the West Virginia National Guard, were on a “high visibility patrol” as part of the ongoing deployment to combat violent crime in the capital.
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The Attack: According to Jeffrey Carroll, Executive Assistant Chief of the MPD, the Guardsmen were “ambushed” as a person “came around the corner, raised his arm with a firearm” and shot them.
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Response: Other nearby National Guard members swiftly intervened, returning fire and subduing the suspect before he was taken into custody.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau is leading the investigation and is treating the case as an assault on a federal law enforcement officer.
Suspect ID: Afghan National and Operation Allies Welcome
Authorities have identified the suspect as Rahmanaullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national. The individual was also shot during the exchange of gunfire, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The suspect’s background has quickly become a point of intense national debate:
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Entry to the U.S.: Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 via Operation Allies Welcome, the federal program launched after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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Official Confirmation: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Donald Trump confirmed the suspect’s entry through the Biden-era program, with the President criticizing the “unvetted, mass paroled” individuals allowed into the country.
President Trump, in a televised address, confirmed the Department of Homeland Security’s findings and announced that his administration has ordered a full review of all Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration under the program. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has also indefinitely halted the processing of immigration requests from Afghan citizens pending a security review.
Administration Doubles Down on D.C. Deployment
In the wake of the “savage attack,” President Trump ordered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to deploy 500 additional National Guard troops to Washington D.C., reinforcing the nearly 2,200 troops already active in the city.
Secretary Hegseth reiterated the purpose of the deployment: “This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful… If criminals want to conduct things like this, violence against America’s best, we will never back down.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) called the attack “horrific and unconscionable” and vowed the suspect “will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
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democrats inciting violence again.