Two West Virginia National Guardsmen were shot and critically wounded near the White House on Wednesday, Nov. 26, in an attack authorities say was carried out by a 29-year-old man last known to be living in Bellingham, NBC News reports.
Police and federal investigators said the gunman — identified by four senior law-enforcement sources as Rahmanullah Lakanwal — opened fire on the guardsmen as they conducted a high-visibility patrol near 17th and High Streets NW.
Executive Assistant Police Chief Jeffery Carroll told NBC News the suspect “came around the corner, raised his arm with a firearm and discharged at the National Guard members.”
Other National Guard members in the vicinity rushed in, subdued the wounded suspect, and held him until officers arrived, police said. Authorities are still investigating who shot the suspect during the exchange.
Both guardsmen were shot in the head and remain in critical condition, officials said.
Investigators probing possible terrorism motive
The FBI has launched an initial investigation into the shooting as a possible act of terrorism. Lakanwal appears to have immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan in 2021, CNN reports. He applied for asylum in 2024, and it was granted earlier this year.
A motive has not been identified, and federal officials cautioned that the nature of the investigation could change as new information emerges.
Confusion over victims’ conditions
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially announced that the guardsmen had died but later retracted the statement, saying his office received “conflicting reports” about their status.
Roughly 2,100 National Guard members were deployed in Washington on Wednesday, including 181 from West Virginia, according to Joint Task Force–District of Columbia. The Guardsmen who were shot were part of a broader effort to maintain a strong security presence throughout the capital.
Federal response
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump has requested an additional 500 National Guard troops for the city in response to the attack.
The suspect remains hospitalized under guard.
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