Two West Virginia National Guard members were left in critical condition on Wednesday after a targeted shooting near the White House, an attack officials described as deliberate and deeply troubling.
The incident, which unfolded in downtown Washington, D.C., has sparked national outrage and renewed political debate as investigators explore possible terror links.
The gunman, identified by multiple law enforcement sources as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly ambushed the Guard members near the Farragut West Metro station.
According to police, the suspect rounded a corner around 2:15 p.m., raised a firearm, and opened fire without warning.
“It appears … to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” MPD Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll said.
The shooting brought an immediate response from nearby Guard members, who subdued the suspect after he was wounded.
Maj. Gen. Tim Seward praised their courage, saying the “swift action taken by the courageous fellow West Virginia National Guardsmen … saved lives.”
President Donald Trump, speaking Wednesday night, described the shooting as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.”
He added, “It was a crime against our entire nation,” and claimed the attack “underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation.”
Moreover, Trump said the suspect had entered the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021 and criticized the previous administration for allowing that entry.
However, law enforcement sources told ABC News that Lakanwal applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted asylum in 2025 under the Trump administration, a detail that is expected to shape ongoing political reactions.
In addition, the Department of Homeland Security halted all pending immigration requests involving Afghan nationals following the shooting, pending a review of security vetting procedures.
Federal authorities, including the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, and DHS, have launched a full investigation.
Several officials confirmed that the incident is being reviewed as a potential act of international terrorism, though no motive has been determined.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the attacker “appeared to target” the Guard members.
The White House was briefly placed on lockdown, a precaution that was lifted later in the afternoon.
Trump, reacting on social media, warned that the shooter “will pay a very steep price.”
As officials promised transparency, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies said more information about the suspect would be released on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance called the event a “somber reminder” of the risks faced by American service members.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth condemned it as a “cowardly, dastardly act” and confirmed that Trump had ordered an additional 500 National Guard personnel into D.C.
Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, expressed grief on behalf of the force, saying they were “devastated by this senseless act of violence.”
