19m ago
Suspect in shooting not cooperating with authorities, sources say
The suspect detained in the shooting of two National Guard members is not cooperating with authorities at this time, law enforcement sources told CBS News Wednesday night.
Multiple law enforcement officials previously identified him as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. in 2021.
37m ago
West Virginia governor calls shooting “an act of unspeakable violence”
In a video posted to social media Wednesday night, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey called the shooting of the two West Virginia National Guard troops “an act of unspeakable violence.”
Back in August, Morrisey announced West Virginia was deploying between 300 to 400 Guard troops to D.C. in response to the president’s efforts to crack down on crime in the nation’s capital.
Morrisey was one of several Republican governors who deployed troops to D.C. at the time.
“I know the state stands behind the Guard,” Morrisey said. “I know the president, who I just spoke to, stands behind these courageous service members.”
Updated 7:09 PM
Suspect in National Guard shooting identified, sources say
Multiple law enforcement officials tell CBS News the suspect in the shooting of the two National Guard members is 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. in 2021.
The suspect used a handgun to carry out the attack, two law enforcement sources told CBS News.
By Anna Schecter, Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Nicole Sganga, Pat Milton
7:08 PM
Witnesses describe fleeing gunfire: “It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this?”
Stacy Walters said she was near 17th Street in a car when she heard two gunshots — “boom boom” — and she noticed small children then others running. Almost instantly law enforcement swarmed the area, she said.
“It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this and we’re getting ready for the holidays?” she said.
Nearby, two women who exited the metro station just after the shots were fired said someone told them: “Run.”
Emma McDonald and Leila Christopher told the AP that they ran to a cafe and sheltered with others, including someone who told them they’d heard six gunshots in quick succession.
National Guard members walk near a cordoned-off area after two National Guard members were shot near the White House in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 26, 2025.
Nathan Howard / REUTERS
Several minutes later, McDonald saw an EMT vehicle pull up, and then responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood, she said.
6:38 PM / November 26, 2025
Suspect believed to be Afghan national, sources say
The suspect responsible for shooting two National Guard members in D.C. is believed to be an Afghan national, three law enforcement sources told CBS News.
Law enforcement said the suspect is believed to have acted alone.
By Anna Schecter, Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Nicole Sganga
6:33 PM / November 26, 2025
Trump administration asks appeals court to let National Guard stay in D.C.
The federal government asked an appellate court on Wednesday to halt last week’s ruling that found the National Guard’s deployment to the streets of D.C. is likely unlawful.
The emergency motion did not mention Wednesday’s shooting of two Guard members in D.C. or cite it as part of its reasoning.
The Trump administration had requested a stay of the lower court’s ruling by Dec. 4, either halting it on a temporary basis or while an appeal of the ruling makes its way through the court system.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb found that President Trump lacked the power to deploy the D.C. Guard for “non-military, crime-deterrence missions in the absence of a request from the city’s civil authorities.” She also found that the deployment of Guard forces from other states wasn’t legally authorized. The judge paused her ruling for 21 days pending an appeal.
In Wednesday’s filing, the administration argued the monthslong deployment is “plainly lawful,” noting that Mr. Trump is commander-in-chief of the D.C. Guard and pointing to federal and local laws that the administration says justify the deployment.
“This is a wholly unjustified incursion into the territory of both the President and Congress,” the motion states. “And in the name of vindicating local interests, it threatens to derail a remarkably successful mission that, with the participation and collaboration of D.C. authorities, including the D.C. Mayor, has reduced crime and improved life in our Nation’s capital.”
6:23 PM / November 26, 2025
D.C. attorney general: “Violence is never the answer”
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb condemned the attack, posting on social media, “Violence is never the answer and must be swiftly condemned by all.”
“The National Guard are volunteers. They sign up to leave their regular jobs and families at a moment’s notice to serve their country. This is a heartbreaking day for DC and our nation. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, friends, and fellow Guardsmen,” he wrote.
Schwalb filed a lawsuit in September arguing that the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops in the district was unconstitutional.
5:43 PM / November 26, 2025
Law enforcement sources say attack was “intentional and targeted”
Law enforcement sources described the attack as “intentional and targeted.”
At this point it is unclear if the suspect interacted with the National Guard troops before opening fire.
Updated 5:43 PM / November 26, 2025
D.C. police official describes ambush attack, “lone gunman”
Jeff Carroll, the executive assistant chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, described the shooting as an ambush attack in a heavily populated area in the city. Carroll said the troops were on “high visibility patrols” when the suspect walked around a corner around 2:15 p.m., raised a firearm and then shot the two National Guard members.
“We have reviewed video from the area. It appears, like I said, to be a lone gunman that raised the firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard, and he was quickly taken into custody by other National Guard members and law enforcement members,” he said.
After the shots were fired, other National Guard members were able to rush to their colleagues’ side.
“There were other National Guard members that were in the area — they were able to, after some back and forth, able to subdue the individual and bring him into custody,” Carroll said, adding that other members of law enforcement in the area also provided assistance.
He said the investigation is in preliminary stages. Law enforcement is investigating all aspects of the suspect and his possible connections, Carroll said.
He said there is currently no other suspect, and that they have found no credible motive at this time.
5:16 PM / November 26, 2025
Congressional leaders react to the shooting
Congressional leaders and other members of the House and Senate shared messages of support for the victims of the shooting.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said his thoughts and prayers are with the Guard members, adding, “I urge you to keep them in your prayers too.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said his “heart breaks” for the victims and said he’s “praying for the wounded National Guardsmen and their families.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson asked Americans to join him in prayer for the Guard members and their loved ones. “The National Guard has done heroic work this year working around the clock to make our nation’s capital safe again,” he wrote on X. “We are forever grateful for the swift actions of law enforcement and for all those who risk their own lives to protect everyone else.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also said he was praying for the National Guard members. “Thankful for the brave law enforcement officers and first responders who swiftly apprehended a suspect,” he wrote on X, adding, “There is no place for violence in America.”
“Violence against our men and women in uniform is disgusting,” Sen. Rick Scott said. “God be with them and their families.”
Sen. Mark Kelly called the shooting “horrific.” He wrote, “I’m thinking of the families of these two National Guard members who lost their lives while serving the day before Thanksgiving.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said the shooting was “heartbreaking” and that she was praying for the families. “Every time I see the National Guard they are so nice and respectful. I’ve seen them picking up trash on the National Mall. And the ones I’ve seen have not been armed,” she wrote on X.
Rep. Nancy Mace called the shooting “DEVASTATING.”
4:50 PM / November 26, 2025
FBI Director Patel says National Guard members are in critical condition
At a briefing Wednesday afternoon, FBI Director Kash Patel said the two National Guard members who were shot are in critical condition.
“Please send your prayers to those brave warriors, who are in critical condition, and their families,” he said. “They are here serving our country.”
Patel said the suspect “will be brought to justice” and the crime will be investigated by the FBI with its partners and prosecuted at the federal level. He called the shooting “a matter of national security.”
4:37 PM / November 26, 2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says National Guard will send more troops to D.C.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Trump has directed him to ask the Secretary of the Army to send 500 additional National Guard troops to D.C. after the shooting.
Hegseth condemned the shooting and said, “We will never back down. We will secure our capital.”
A U.S. official confirms the Army has received the request from Secretary Hegseth for 500 additional Guardsmen and will work to fulfill it quickly.
By Cara Tabachnick, Eleanor Watson
4:28 PM / November 26, 2025
Suspect was shot 4 times, sources say
The suspect in the attack was shot four times, sources told CBS News.
The suspect was transported by ambulance to an area hospital and is now in police custody, law enforcement said.
4:18 PM / November 26, 2025
West Virginia Gov. says there are “conflicting reports” on the troops’ conditions
West Virginia Gov Patrick Morrisey said on social media he is “now receiving conflicting reports” about the condition of the two National Guard members who were shot.
Morrisey said in an earlier social media post that the two had died from their injuries.
He said his office will provide additional updates once they receive more complete information.
“Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the entire Guard community,” Morrisey said.
4:02 PM / November 26, 2025
FBI and other federal agencies assisting with investigation
FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is “engaged and assisting” with the investigation into the shooting.
“Please pray for them and we will update with more information as we are able,” Patel said.
Members of the Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals were also on the scene.
3:50 PM / November 26, 2025
Troops shot in ambush-style attack, officials say
The National Guard members were shot in an ambush-style attack, two federal law enforcement officials told CBS News.
The attack became a shoot-out, the officials said, and the suspect was also shot.
Ambush incidents targeting law enforcement have been on the rise in 2025.
3:46 PM / November 26, 2025
Shooting appears to have begun near metro station, officials say
The shooting appears to have begun near the Farragut Metro station, senior law enforcement officials told CBS News.
There is no known connection to the White House at this time, the officials said, though the incident occurred just blocks from the North Lawn.
3:42 PM / November 26, 2025
10 to 15 shots fired, law enforcement official says
A senior law enforcement official told CBS News that roughly 10 to 15 shots were fired.
One victim was transported to the hospital by helicopter, while the suspect was transported by ambulance, the senior law enforcement official said.
3:32 PM / November 26, 2025
Trump says both troops were “critically wounded”
President Trump said on Truth Social that both National Guard members were “critically wounded” in the shooting. They are in separate hospitals, he said.
Mr. Trump also said the suspect was “severely wounded.”
“God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement,” Mr. Trump wrote. “These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”
3:28 PM / November 26, 2025
D.C. National Guard says health and safety of troops is “top priority”
The D.C. National Guard told CBS News it is working closely with the MPD and other law enforcement agencies following the incident.
“The health and safety of our service members is our top priority as we continue to support the citizens and visitors of Washington, D.C.,” the Guard said in a statement.
3:17 PM / November 26, 2025
National Guard troops have been in D.C. since summer
Thousands of National Guard troops were first ordered to Washington, D.C., in August. President Trump deployed forces to the city as part of a broader crackdown on crime. The deployment, which has been subject to legal challenges, has been extended multiple times and is currently set to run through February 2026.
National Guard forces have been dispatched to multiple U.S. cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, during Mr. Trump’s second term.
3:07 PM / November 26, 2025
Suspect transported to area hospital
A suspect who allegedly opened fire on the National Guard troops has been injured and transported to an area hospital, senior law enforcement officials told CBS News. The suspect’s condition is unknown at this time.
The Metropolitan Police Department said the crime scene was secured and that a suspect was in custody.
3:05 PM / November 26, 2025
President Trump briefed on the shooting
President Trump has been briefed on the shooting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The president is at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
“The White House is aware and actively monitoring this tragic situation,” Leavitt said in a statement.
3:00 PM / November 26, 2025
2 National Guard members shot, Noem says
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said two members of the National Guard were shot. She did not share any details on their conditions.
“Please join me in praying for the two National Guardsmen who were just shot moments ago in Washington D.C.,” Noem said in a statement.
“DHS is working with local law enforcement to gather more information.”