Two members of the National Guard were recently attacked near the White House in Washington DC. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old man from Washington state, has been apprehended and the area has been secured, according to law enforcement officials. Both servicemen were critically injured in the head during the assault. The suspect, who is believed to be of Afghan descent, used a handgun in the attack.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will be leading the investigation into the shooting, which is being considered as a potential act of terrorism. The White House was put on lockdown following the incident, even though President Donald Trump was in Florida at the time. The President expressed his concern for the wounded National Guard members on his Truth Social platform, promising that the perpetrator would face severe consequences.
West Virginia’s governor initially reported that both victims were members of his state’s National Guard and had succumbed to their injuries. However, he later issued a statement indicating that there were conflicting reports about the condition of the two servicemen. FBI director Kash Patel described the incident as a “horrendous act of violence” and confirmed that the victims were in critical condition.
Jeff Carroll, chief of the metropolitan police department, stated that the attack occurred at 2.15pm local time while the National Guard members were on high visibility patrols. The suspect reportedly approached the servicemen, brandished a firearm, and fired at them. Despite the sudden attack, the National Guard members managed to subdue the suspect and take him into custody. Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser referred to the incident as a “targeted shooting”.
Social media footage showed first responders performing CPR on one of the soldiers while treating the other on a pavement strewn with glass. Other officers were seen restraining a suspect on the ground. The area was cordoned off by police tape, with agents from the US Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on the scene, along with National Guard troops and FBI agents.
The Joint DC Task Force confirmed its response to the incident near the White House. The DC Police Department urged the public to avoid the area, later confirming that the scene had been secured and a suspect was in custody. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the White House was actively monitoring the situation and that the president had been briefed.
President Trump, who was in Palm Beach for the Thanksgiving holiday, requested an additional 500 troops to be deployed to Washington DC following the shooting. Flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were temporarily suspended due to its proximity to the scene. Since an emergency order issued by President Trump in August, hundreds of National Guard members have been patrolling the nation’s capital.