Washington, Nov 27 (LatestNewsX) — Two National Guardsmen were shot while downtown Washington and are now in critical condition, according to local media. CBS News says the suspect, who has been taken into custody, is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021.
The incident occurred less than 2 km from the White House on Wednesday (local time). President Donald Trump was abroad in Florida for Thanksgiving and was not in the capital at the moment.
Trump posted on X: “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price. God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser described the incident as a “targeted shooting.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the administration has authorized an extra 500 troops to be deployed to Washington.
Speaking to the press, FBI Director Kash Patel said the case would be tried at the federal level because “this is an assault on federal law‑enforcement officers.”
Several states have sent Guard personnel to Washington in recent months under President Trump’s public‑safety initiative, and the mission has expanded to other major U.S. cities. Roughly 2,400 National Guard troops are now stationed in the district, including about 958 from the DC National Guard and around 1,300 from eight other states. The deployment has been extended through the summer of 2026.
The presence of National Guard forces in Washington has been a political flashpoint. Supporters argue the troops have helped curb crime in troubled neighborhoods, while critics say that an extended out‑of‑state military presence blurs the boundary between civilian policing and armed forces.
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