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Afghan suspect identified in targeted attack on national guard members in Washington, D.C.
While the motive remains unclear, a Justice Department official told Reuters the incident is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism.
Two members of the West Virginia National Guard remain in critical condition after they were shot in what authorities describe as a “targeted ambush” near the White House on Wednesday.
According to Jeffery Caroll, Executive Assistant Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, the two service members were attacked by a lone gunman near a subway station at the corner of 17th and I Streets — just two blocks from the White House — at around 2:15 p.m. ET. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed the incident as a targeted shooting.
The troops were conducting a high-visibility security patrol as part of ongoing federal security operations in the capital. Officials said other nearby Guard members responded immediately, shooting and subduing the suspect, who is currently in custody.
While the motive remains unclear, a Justice Department official told Reuters the incident is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism.
Reuters also reported, citing an anonymous official, that the suspect has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021. Federal authorities, including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, have yet to officially confirm this information, read the report.
The identities of the wounded troops have not been released. Earlier remarks by West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey mistakenly stated that the members had died, but officials clarified that both remain alive in critical condition.
FBI Director Kash Patel urged support for the injured service members, saying: “Please send your prayers to those brave warriors and their families. They are here serving our country and protecting everyday Americans.”
The White House was briefly placed on lockdown following the shooting, with restrictions lifted around 5 p.m.
This incident occurs amid heightened security in Washington, D.C., where thousands of Guard members have been deployed in recent months under President Trump’s anti-crime initiative.