Two West Virginia National Guard members are in critical condition after being shot in Washington, DC—less than two blocks from the White House—in what city officials are calling a “targeted attack.”
The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon when a lone suspect opened fire near the Farragut Square Metro Station. According to police, additional National Guard personnel stationed nearby heard the gunshots and quickly moved in, subduing the attacker.
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 attack as “an act of evil, an act of hatred, and an act of terror,” and pledged that his administration would ensure the suspect “pays the steepest possible price.”
In a press release, the Department of Homeland Security identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakamal, describing him as “a criminal alien from Afghanistan.” His precise immigration status has not yet been confirmed.
Following the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, tens of thousands of Afghans were admitted into the country under special immigration protections established during the Biden administration. In his address Wednesday night, Trump said, “We must now re-examine every alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.”
In response to the attack, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a temporary halt to processing Afghan immigration requests while vetting procedures undergo review.
A statement from Joint Task Force DC, which oversees National Guard deployments in the capital, said the shooting took place at approximately 14:15 EST (17:15 GMT) on Wednesday.
