Two West Virginia National Guard members were shot near the White House and Farragut Metro Station in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, marking a tragic and concerning development for the nation’s capital. The suspected gunman, identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has been taken into custody, according to three law enforcement sources. Lakanwal, an illegal migrant who entered the U.S. after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, was granted humanitarian parole by the Department of Homeland Security, adding further complexity to the situation.
Preliminary investigations have categorized the shooting as a potential act of international terrorism, with federal authorities now scrutinizing the incident for any links to broader security threats. Both National Guardsmen remain in critical condition at a local hospital, though details about their injuries and prognosis are still under review. President Donald Trump swiftly condemned the attack, referring to it as a ‘savage attack’ and an ‘act of evil and act of hatred and an act of terror.’ He emphasized that this crime was not just against the National Guardsmen, but against the entire nation and humanity.
In an address to the American public, Trump reiterated his resolve to pursue justice for the victims, stating that the perpetrator would face ‘the steepest possible price.’ The White House was placed on lockdown following the shooting, although Trump himself was not present in the capital at the time, having already departed for Mar-a-Lago in Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. This incident has ignited a wave of bipartisan outrage, with political figures from across the spectrum condemning the attack and expressing solidarity with the victims and their families.
As part of an ongoing initiative to bolster security in the capital, the Trump administration has announced a plan to deploy an additional 500 troops to Washington, D.C. This measure comes in the wake of a broader effort to enhance public safety, with Trump also criticizing the Biden administration for its handling of immigration policy, particularly the policies that led to Lakanwal’s entry into the U.S. The incident has sparked renewed debate on issues of immigration, national security, and the role of the National Guard in domestic affairs, further contributing to the political discourse in the United States.