\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTwo West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation\u2019s capital were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a targeted attack.FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said they were hospitalized in critical condition.The rare shooting of National Guard members, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes as the presence of the troops in the nation\u2019s capital and other cities around the country has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration\u2019s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.The 29-year-old suspect, an Afghan national, entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said.The initiative brought roughly 76,000 people to the U.S., many of whom had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators. It has since faced intense scrutiny from Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans and some government watchdogs over gaps in the vetting process and the speed of admissions, even as advocates say it offered a lifeline to people at risk of Taliban reprisals.The suspect, who has been living in Washington state, has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.Lakamal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, about 79 miles north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, said his former landlord Kristina Widman.Wednesday night, in a video message released on social media, President Donald Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration.\u201cIf they can\u2019t love our country, we don\u2019t want them,\u201d he said, adding that the shooting was \u201ca crime against our entire nation.\u201dJeffery Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant \u201ccame around the corner\u201d and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.\u201cThis was a targeted shooting,\u201d Bowser said.West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the troops had died, but he later walked that statement back to say his office was \u201creceiving conflicting reports\u201d about their condition.The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump asked him to send the troops.Nearly 2,200 troops are currently assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government\u2019s latest update. Troops held down the shooterThe shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station. Hearing gunfire, other troops in the area ran over and held down the gunman after he was shot, Carroll said.”It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll said, adding that it was not clear whether one of the guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect.”At this point we have no other suspects,” Carroll said at a news conference.At least one of the guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders performing CPR on one of the troops and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk.Witnesses saw people fleeingStacy Walters said she was in a car when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. \u201cIt\u2019s such a beautiful day. Who would do this? And we\u2019re getting ready for the holidays?\u201dEmma McDonald, who exited a metro station just after the shots were fired, said she and a friend sought safety with others in a cafe. McDonald told AP that minutes later, she saw first responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood.Police tape cordoned off the scene, and fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were there, and National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.\u201cI think it\u2019s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they\u2019re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,\u201d Vice President JD Vance said in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to spend the holiday with troops at Guantanamo Bay in order to travel to D.C. and be with guard members there instead.Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said on social media that he visited the wounded National Guard members in the hospital and that his \u201cheart breaks for them.\u201dTrump vows that shooter will payTrump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.Last week a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment, but she also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the administration time to either remove the troops or appeal.Video below: President Donald Trump condemned Wednesday’s National Guard shooting as a “heinous assault”The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and been assigned to pick up trash and guard sports events.More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed in August. About 160 of them volunteered last week to extend their deployment until the end of the year, while the others returned home just over a week ago.___Associated Press journalists Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker, Jesse Bedayn, Evan Vucci, Nathan Ellgren, John Raby, Hallie Golden, Michael R. Sisak and John Seewer contributed.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation\u2019s capital were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a targeted attack.<\/p>\n
FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said they were hospitalized in critical condition.<\/p>\n
The rare shooting of National Guard members, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes as the presence of the troops in the nation\u2019s capital and other cities around the country has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration\u2019s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.<\/p>\n
A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old suspect, an Afghan national, entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said.<\/p>\n
The initiative brought roughly 76,000 people to the U.S., many of whom had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators. It has since faced intense scrutiny from Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans and some government watchdogs over gaps in the vetting process and the speed of admissions, even as advocates say it offered a lifeline to people at risk of Taliban reprisals.<\/p>\n
The suspect, who has been living in Washington state, has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
Lakamal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, about 79 miles north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, said his former landlord Kristina Widman.<\/p>\n
Wednesday night, in a video message released on social media, President Donald Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they can\u2019t love our country, we don\u2019t want them,\u201d he said, adding that the shooting was \u201ca crime against our entire nation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jeffery Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant \u201ccame around the corner\u201d and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a targeted shooting,\u201d Bowser said.<\/p>\n
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the troops had died, but he later walked that statement back to say his office was \u201creceiving conflicting reports\u201d about their condition.<\/p>\n
The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump asked him to send the troops.<\/p>\n
Nearly 2,200 troops are currently assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government\u2019s latest update. <\/p>\n
Troops held down the shooter<\/p>\n
The shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station. Hearing gunfire, other troops in the area ran over and held down the gunman after he was shot, Carroll said.<\/p>\n
“It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll said, adding that it was not clear whether one of the guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect.<\/p>\n
“At this point we have no other suspects,” Carroll said at a news conference.<\/p>\n
At least one of the guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders performing CPR on one of the troops and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk.<\/p>\n
Witnesses saw people fleeing<\/p>\n
Stacy Walters said she was in a car when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. \u201cIt\u2019s such a beautiful day. Who would do this? And we\u2019re getting ready for the holidays?\u201d<\/p>\n
Emma McDonald, who exited a metro station just after the shots were fired, said she and a friend sought safety with others in a cafe. McDonald told AP that minutes later, she saw first responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood.<\/p>\n
Police tape cordoned off the scene, and fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were there, and National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they\u2019re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,\u201d Vice President JD Vance said in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.<\/p>\n
Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to spend the holiday with troops at Guantanamo Bay in order to travel to D.C. and be with guard members there instead.<\/p>\n
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said on social media that he visited the wounded National Guard members in the hospital and that his \u201cheart breaks for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump vows that shooter will pay<\/p>\n
Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.<\/p>\n
Last week a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment, but she also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the administration time to either remove the troops or appeal.<\/p>\n
Video below: President Donald Trump condemned Wednesday’s National Guard shooting as a “heinous assault”<\/p>\n
The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and been assigned to pick up trash and guard sports events.<\/p>\n
More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed in August. About 160 of them volunteered last week to extend their deployment until the end of the year, while the others returned home just over a week ago.
___<\/p>\n
Associated Press journalists Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker, Jesse Bedayn, Evan Vucci, Nathan Ellgren, John Raby, Hallie Golden, Michael R. Sisak and John Seewer contributed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation\u2019s capital were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":316262,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[35362,162427,15110,162426,14854,4,450,32309,162419,5059,72763,76058,451,157288,35940,18512,15247,162425,162430,162416,3,95926,162420,162428,162424,162421,162418,452,453,72770,162417,7157,162429,162422,6601,3123,162219,162423],"class_list":["post-316261","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-breaking-news","tag-anonymity","tag-anonymous-source","tag-ap","tag-ap-report","tag-area","tag-breaking-news","tag-breakingnews","tag-condition","tag-conditions-unknown","tag-dc","tag-emergency-response","tag-emergency-vehicle","tag-headlines","tag-investigation-underway","tag-law-enforcement-official","tag-matter","tag-mcnd","tag-medical-evacuation","tag-national-guard-member","tag-national-guard-soldiers-shot","tag-news","tag-news-story","tag-perimeter-security","tag-presidential-residence-incident","tag-scene-secured","tag-secret-service-response","tag-shooting-near-white-house","tag-top-stories","tag-topstories","tag-traffic-disruption","tag-two-soldiers-wounded","tag-update","tag-updates-to-follow","tag-washington-shooting","tag-wednesday","tag-white-house","tag-white-house-shooting","tag-witnesses-report"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=316261"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316261\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/316262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316261"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}