Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, is suspected of having shot dead two U.S. National Guard members who were deployed just blocks away from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the Mayor described as a targeted attack.

The rare shooting of National Guard members, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes as the presence of the troops in the nation’s capital and other cities around the country has been a flashpoint issue for months, fuelling court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in custody, also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

The 29-year-old suspect, an Afghan national, entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration programme that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said.

The initiative brought roughly 76,000 people to the U.S., many of whom had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators. It has since faced intense scrutiny from Mr. Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans and some government watchdogs over gaps in the vetting process and the speed of admissions, even as advocates say it offered a lifeline to people at risk of Taliban reprisals.

Authorities working to confirm suspect’s background

Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been living in Washington State. Although law enforcement officials have identified him, authorities are still working to fully confirm his background, according to two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter. These individuals could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Lakanwal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, about 79 miles (127.1 kilometres) north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, said his former landlord Kristina Widman.

Wednesday (November 26) night, in a video message released on social media, President Donald Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration. “If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them,” he said, adding that the shooting was “a crime against our entire nation.”

Jeffery Carroll, an Executive Assistant DC police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.

The Trump administration has ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington following the shooting of Guard troops, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday (November 26, 2025).

Mr. Hegseth said President Donald Trump asked him to send the Guard members.

There are currently 2,188 troops assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government’s latest update.

Mr. Hegseth was visiting the Dominican Republic. The two National Guard soldiers were critically wounded near the White House.

Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot on Wednesday just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the Guard members were hospitalised in critical condition.

Ms. Bowser said they were victims of a “targeted shooting.” The West Virginia governor initially said the troops had died, but later walked back the statement to say his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition. The governor’s office did not immediately respond to questions about the attack and the condition of the troops.

A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

“We are in ongoing contact with federal officials as the investigation continues,” Gov Patrick Morrisey said.

Law enforcement was reviewing surveillance video from the scene and believed the suspect approached the soldiers and pulled out a gun, said another law enforcement official who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

At least one of the soldiers exchanged gunfire with the shooter, the official said. Investigators were trying to determine the gunman’s motive, including whether the suspect was targeting the troops for any specific reason, the official said.

The shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House.

Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders attempting CPR on one of the soldiers and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk. Other officers could be seen steps away restraining an individual on the ground.

Stacy Walters said she was in a car near the scene car when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. “It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this, and we’re getting ready for the holidays?” Emergency medical responders transported all three people to a hospital, according to Vito Maggiolo, the public information officer for the DC Fire and Emergency Services.

Debate over deployment of National Guard troops

The presence of the National Guard in the nation’s capital has been a flashpoint issue for months, fuelling a court fight and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.

More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed to Washington in August. Last week, about 160 of them volunteered to extend their deployment until the end of the year while the others returned to West Virginia just over a week ago.

Police tape cordoned off the scene where fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on scene, as National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.

A spokesperson for Mayor Muriel Bowser said local leaders were actively monitoring the situation. Ms. Bowser had spent the morning at a Thanksgiving event at the Convention Center and then held a news conference to explain why she was not seeking reelection.

Mr. Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalised the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.

The soldiers have patrolled neighbourhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and also have been assigned to trash pickup and to guard sports events.

Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal the decision.