Two members of the National Guard remain in critical condition after being shot near the White House in a suspected targeted attack, reports Baltimore Chronicle.
According to authorities, the shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday near the Farragut West Metro station in downtown Washington, D.C., when the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, raised a weapon and fired on the two Guardsmen. Other National Guard members immediately intervened, subduing the shooter after he had been shot and restrained on the ground, officials said.
Law enforcement, including FBI Director Kash Patel, plans to hold a press conference Thursday at 9 a.m. ET at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro expected to attend.
The White House briefly went into lockdown following the incident, which was lifted by about 5 p.m. President Donald Trump and the First Lady were in Florida at Mar-a-Lago for Thanksgiving.
Sources told ABC News that Lakanwal is originally from Afghanistan and entered the United States in 2021 under the Biden administration. He applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted it in April 2025 under the Trump administration. Authorities are investigating the shooting as a potential act of international terrorism, exploring whether it may have been inspired by a foreign terrorist organization.
John Cohen, former head of intelligence for the Department of Homeland Security, noted that the suspect had been vetted during the asylum process and suggested the case raises questions about prioritizing terrorism threats versus civil immigration enforcement.
The National Guard has been deployed in Washington, D.C., as part of a federal security operation since August 2025, with 2,188 personnel currently assigned. The shooting comes after Trump previously praised the Guard’s presence, claiming the city was now completely safe.
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