Washington: Two National Guard soldiers are in critical condition after being gunned down in downtown Washington DC, less than two blocks from the White House, in what city officials have described as a targeted attack.
The shooting unfolded near Farragut Square, a busy area frequented by office workers, prompting a rapid response from nearby National Guard members and a brief security lockdown in the capital. Authorities said a lone suspect opened fire on the two Guardsmen from West Virginia while they were on a high-visibility patrol at the corner of 17th and I streets.
Other Guard members who heard the gunshots intervened immediately, subduing the attacker after he was shot and holding him until police arrived. The suspect, identified by law enforcement sources as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was also critically injured. His motive and immigration status had not been confirmed.
“The hearts of all Americans tonight are with those two members of the West Virginia National Guard and their families…
We will make America totally safe again, and we will bring the perpetrator of this barbaric attack to swift and certain justice.” — President Trump pic.twitter.com/zOkJGZyGmk
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 27, 2025
President Donald Trump, who was in Florida at the time, condemned the act as ‘an act of evil’ and vowed the suspect would ‘pay the steepest possible price’. Trump called for a review of Afghans who entered the US after the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. FBI Director Kash Patel described the incident as a ‘brazen’ and ‘horrendous’ attack, while Metropolitan Police officials said the soldiers had been ambushed without warning.
The shooting briefly triggered a lockdown at the White House and a ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Witnesses reported hearing several gunshots and described scenes of panic as people ran for cover. Footage reviewed by reporters showed the injured soldiers receiving emergency treatment on the pavement alongside the wounded suspect.
West Virginia’s governor initially announced both soldiers had died, but later clarified that reports about their condition were conflicting. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the president ordered an additional 500 National Guard personnel to DC following the attack, adding that nearly 2,200 troops were already deployed in the city as part of an ongoing effort to control crime.
While Washington DC has seen a decline in homicides and overall offences in recent months, authorities have not attributed the drop directly to the Guard’s presence. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with officials yet to determine the weapon used or a clear motive.
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