Two National Guard members were seriously injured on Wednesday in a shooting that took place just a few meters from the White House in Washington, DC. The shooter, who has been subdued and detained, has also been hospitalized in critical condition in the capital. The incident, including its causes and main details, are still unknown, and it occurred shortly after 2:15 p.m. local time, right on the street.
The detainee is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan citizen with an official residence (at least in the past) in the state of Washington, on the other side of the country. The man arrived in the US in 2021 through a program under the Biden administration and obtained refugee status in April of this year under the Trump administration, according to CNN.
Authorities seized a rifle, not a pistol, leading to speculation about the shooter's intentions. In a brief statement three hours later, the mayor confirmed that they are considering the scenario as a premeditated crime against the military personnel. Jeffrey Carroll from the Washington Metropolitan Police Department added that according to witnesses, the shooting suspect appeared suddenly around a corner, raised his weapon, and fired at the guards. The guards were armed, but it is still unclear who shot the attacker.
"The animal who shot the two National Guard members, both seriously injured and now in separate hospitals, is also seriously injured but, despite everything, will pay a very high price. May God bless our Great National Guard and all our Armed Forces and Law Enforcement. They are truly extraordinary people. I, as President of the United States, and all associated with the Office of the Presidency, stand with you!" reacted President Donald Trump promptly. Although Trump has been in Florida since yesterday at his Mar-a-Lago residence to celebrate Thanksgiving, the White House was immediately put on red alert.
However, when the suspect's nationality was revealed, Trump appeared in an official video, intensifying his anti-immigrant rhetoric against individuals from Afghanistan and blaming his predecessor, Joe Biden, for allowing the subject's entry in September 2021. "Now we must re-examine every foreigner who has entered our country from Afghanistan," said the president in the message. The president described the shooting as "an act of terror" and promised to tighten immigration measures against Afghan individuals, referring to the suspect as "an animal."
Afghan immigration requests suspended
Ten minutes after Trump's message, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on social media the suspension of immigration requests from Afghan citizens. "Effective immediately, the processing of all immigration requests related to Afghan citizens is indefinitely suspended pending further review of security protocols and background checks," the agency declared.
Minutes later, Patrick Morrisey, the governor of West Virginia, where the soldiers were from, reported in a statement that they had died. "These brave West Virginians lost their lives in service to their country," he lamented. However, shortly after, he retracted, explaining that the information they had received was "contradictory regarding the status of our two National Guard members, and we will provide additional updates once we receive more complete information."
FBI Director Kash Patel has suggested that the attack was premeditated. "Two of our brave National Guard members and Department of Defense personnel were blatantly attacked. Since this is an assault against a federal law enforcement officer, it will be treated at the federal level as such. The FBI will lead that mission," he stated.
Images circulating on social media show the surroundings of the location, near the intersection of 17th and I streets, with a group of military and civilians immobilizing an individual on the ground, next to the bus stop shelter destroyed by gunfire. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi indicated that the shooting did not appear to target the White House. The Secret Service members present in the vicinity did not fire, he added.
This is the first incident of this severity since the controversial deployment of the National Guard ordered in the summer by Donald Trump. There have been incidents in the metro and death threats, even physical altercations during some detentions. But nothing serious. Last week, a federal judge in Washington temporarily ruled that the administration could not keep the troops in the city without reason. However, at the same time, she suspended her ruling for three weeks, giving the government time to withdraw the troops or appeal the decision.
Following today's attack, the Department of Defense announced that they will deploy an additional 500 National Guard troops in the capital. During a briefing from the Pentagon, Secretary Pete Hegseth described the shooting as "cowardly" and "vile," stating that it "will only reinforce our determination to ensure that Washington D.C. is safe and beautiful."
Since August, over 2,000 military personnel have been 'patrolling' the city, usually in pairs but sometimes in larger groups. They are heavily armed in general. At times, groups of soldiers perform tasks such as leaf collection or park maintenance. They typically concentrate around metro stations and tourist spots, but their presence varies.
A few days after giving the order, rejected by the population and their elected representatives, the president boasted that the city, which has very high rates of gun-related mortality and homicides, had suddenly become very safe, almost crime-free. He even staged a performance, dining out with his family and team at a restaurant near the White House, claiming that such a thing was previously impossible.
Washington has concerning crime statistics, but they are generally concentrated in more marginalized areas of the city. Despite this, a few months ago, a Republican congressional intern was killed in a shooting. Incidents near the White House, especially at night, are not uncommon. This has been one of Trump's obsessions since 2016. In this term, he has ordered the expulsion of many homeless individuals and protesters historically camped in front of the White House. He has also called for the removal of homeless individuals or fentanyl addicts who often gather in nearby parks.