Two National Guard soldiers were left critically injured on Wednesday after being shot less than two blocks from the White House, in what authorities described as a sudden and violent ambush in central Washington.
According to police, a lone suspect opened fire on the soldiers, both from West Virginia, near the busy Farragut Square area at around 14:15 EST (17:15 GMT). Other National Guard members on patrol nearby heard the gunfire and quickly subdued the attacker.
Suspect Identified
President Donald Trump, speaking from Florida, said the alleged gunman was an Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021. He condemned the shooting as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror,” and vowed that his administration would ensure the suspect “pays the steepest possible price.”
The Department of Homeland Security later identified the man as Rahmanullah Lakamal, describing him as “a criminal alien from Afghanistan”. Officials did not clarify his immigration status.
Tens of thousands of Afghans arrived in the United States following the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan under former President Joe Biden. In a televised address, Trump said the incident showed the need to “re-examine every alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.”
Immigration Processing Halted
In the hours following the attack, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it had halted all Afghan immigration processing while vetting procedures underwent review.
Joint Task Force DC, the body co-ordinating National Guard deployments in the capital, said the soldiers were on a high-visibility patrol near 17th and I Streets, a popular lunchtime area for downtown workers, when the shooting occurred.
‘Brazen’ Ambush
FBI Director Kash Patel, whose agency is leading the investigation, described the attack as “brazen” and “a horrendous act of violence.”
Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said the suspect “came around the corner and immediately started firing a firearm,” adding that the soldiers had been “ambushed.”
Law enforcement sources told CBS the suspect was shot four times during the confrontation. The type of weapon used has not been confirmed, and investigators have yet to identify a motive. Sources said the suspect was not co-operating with authorities as of Wednesday night.
Impact on Washington
The shooting prompted a brief ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, with flights paused as a precaution, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Authorities say the investigation remains active, with the FBI, DHS and Metropolitan Police continuing to assess the circumstances surrounding the attack.
