Two U.S. National Guard personnel were seriously injured in a shooting near the White House on Wednesday afternoon. President Donald Trump described the attack as an act of terrorism. Authorities said the suspect is an Afghan national who came to the U.S. in 2021 during the Afghanistan evacuation.
The shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. local time, as a male and a female guard were patrolling in high visibility. The attacker fired without warning. Both guards were shot multiple times and taken to trauma centers, where their condition remains critical. The suspect was also injured and taken into custody.
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Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called it a “targeted shooting” by a single individual. Law enforcement confirmed there is no ongoing threat. Officials said fingerprint analysis matched the suspect to someone who arrived from Afghanistan in August 2021. Some sources identified him as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, though authorities have not officially confirmed the name.
Trump said the attack was “evil, hateful, and an act of terrorism against our entire country.” He called for stricter screening of Afghan arrivals and suggested removing non-contributing foreigners from the U.S. Defense Secretary Pat Hagerty said 500 additional National Guard troops will be deployed to Washington. The White House briefly went into lockdown, though Trump was in Florida at the time.
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The incident has raised concern among Muslim communities in the U.S. Civil rights groups warned against speculation until investigations are complete. FBI officials said the probe is ongoing and the attacker’s motives remain unclear. Authorities are investigating whether the act was inspired by any foreign extremist group, though no definitive link has yet been found.