D.C. National Guard Shooting Near White House: What We Know About the Suspect, Victims and Fallout

WASHINGTON — Two West Virginia National Guard soldiers remain in critical condition after a gunman opened fire on their patrol just blocks from the White House on Wednesday afternoon, in what officials describe as a targeted ambush on uniformed troops. ^[1]

Authorities have identified the suspected shooter as 29‑year‑old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the United States in 2021 and was later granted asylum. President Donald Trump has condemned the attack as an “act of evil” and ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., while his administration pauses most immigration processing for Afghan nationals pending a security review. ^[2]

Key Points

Two West Virginia National Guard members shot near the White House around 2:15 p.m. on November 26, near the Farragut West Metro station; both are in critical condition. ^[3]
Suspect identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who came to the U.S. via the Operation Allies Welcome resettlement program and later received asylum; he was wounded by return fire and is in custody. ^[4]
Officials say the shooting was a “targeted” ambush on National Guard troops and are investigating possible links to international terrorism; so far, authorities believe the suspect acted alone and the motive is still unknown. ^[5]
Trump has ordered 500 more Guard troops into D.C. and his administration has indefinitely halted Afghan immigration processing while vetting procedures are reviewed. ^[6]
One of the wounded soldiers has been identified locally as Andrew Wolfe of Inwood, West Virginia; both injured Guard members — a man and a woman — have undergone surgery and remain in critical condition. ^[7]

What Happened Near the White House?

The shooting unfolded just after 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, at the corner of 17th and I Streets NW, a busy intersection near Farragut Square and roughly two blocks from the White House. ^[8]

According to police and federal officials, three West Virginia National Guard members were on foot patrol as part of a broader deployment of troops across downtown Washington when a man approached them, raised a handgun and opened fire at close range. Two of the soldiers — a man and a woman — were hit. A third Guard member or nearby personnel returned fire, striking the gunman. ^[9]

Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with commuters and tourists running from the park, children being rushed away by adults and a swarm of police, federal agents and other National Guard troops converging on the area within minutes. ^[10]

D.C. Fire and EMS transported the two wounded soldiers and the suspected shooter to area hospitals. Both Guard members were listed in critical condition; officials say the suspect’s injuries, while serious, are not believed to be life‑threatening. ^[11]

The White House and nearby federal buildings, including the Treasury Department, were briefly placed on lockdown, and the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily halted flights at Reagan National Airport as a police helicopter circled near the White House. Those restrictions were later lifted. ^[12]

Who Are the Victims?

Officials have confirmed that the two wounded troops are members of the West Virginia National Guard, deployed to Washington as part of President Trump’s federal crime‑control initiative in the capital. ^[13]

Early on, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey erroneously announced that both soldiers had died, before later walking back his statement and saying his office had received “conflicting reports” about their condition. As of Thursday morning, both remain alive but critically injured following surgery. ^[14]

Local reporting and a Facebook post from Musselman High School in Berkeley County identified one of the soldiers as Andrew Wolfe of Inwood, West Virginia, a former student described by his school community as a young man who recently joined the Guard. The school urged people to keep Wolfe and his family in their thoughts as he recovers. ^[15]

The second victim, a female Guardsman, has not yet been publicly named. Officials have said both were shot at close range; a high‑ranking law enforcement source told local media that each soldier suffered gunshot wounds to the head. ^[16]

What We Know About Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal

Multiple law enforcement agencies and the Department of Homeland Security have identified the suspected shooter as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29‑year‑old Afghan national. ^[17]

According to Associated Press and other outlets:

Lakanwal arrived in the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, the post‑withdrawal resettlement program that brought roughly 76,000 Afghans to the U.S. after the fall of Kabul. ^[18]
He initially settled in Bellingham, Washington, north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, according to a former landlord. ^[19]
He applied for asylum in 2024, and his application was approved in April 2025, under the Trump administration. ^[20]

Investigators say Lakanwal was wounded when one of the Guard members returned fire. He was taken into custody at the scene and is now hospitalized under law‑enforcement guard. ^[21]

Officials are still piecing together his background. Federal sources told local media that Lakanwal has ties to Washington state and that his fingerprints and immigration records are being used to confirm his identity. Another report indicated that investigators are reviewing a possible connection between Lakanwal and a prior gun investigation in that state, though no details have been publicly confirmed. ^[22]

At this stage, authorities have not publicly disclosed any clear motive. Law‑enforcement officials stress that, so far, there is no indication of additional suspects or an active threat beyond this incident. ^[23]

Is This Being Treated as Terrorism?

Officials say the shooting appears to have been a targeted attack on uniformed troops, not a random act of violence.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called it a “targeted shooting,” while Metropolitan Police executive assistant chief Jeffery Carroll said video footage shows a lone assailant rounding a corner and immediately opening fire on the Guard members. ^[24]

Several law‑enforcement sources told ABC News and other outlets that the FBI is investigating the case as a potential act of international terrorism, examining whether Lakanwal may have been inspired by, or in contact with, an overseas terrorist organization. ^[25]

However, officials have emphasized that:

The investigation is still in its early stages.
No specific group has been publicly linked to the attack.
Investigators are also looking at other possible factors, including any personal grievances, mental‑health issues or online activity, before drawing conclusions about motive. ^[26]

Trump’s Response: More Troops and a Freeze on Afghan Immigration

Within hours of the shooting, President Trump addressed the nation from Palm Beach, Florida, where he is spending Thanksgiving. He condemned the attack as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror,” and vowed that the suspect would “pay a very steep price.” ^[27]

At the same time, Trump announced several major steps:

Additional National Guard Troops to D.C.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump requested 500 more Guard members for Washington, on top of the roughly 2,200‑plus troops already assigned to the capital as part of a broader crime‑control deployment begun in August. ^[28]
Freeze on Afghan Immigration Processing
Shortly after Trump’s remarks, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it was indefinitely halting the processing of most immigration requests from Afghan nationals while security and vetting protocols are reviewed. ^[29]
Review of Afghan Resettlement
Trump framed the attack as evidence of what he called dangerous gaps in the vetting of Afghans admitted under Operation Allies Welcome. He argued that the U.S. must re‑examine “every single” Afghan who came under the program and remove anyone deemed not to “belong here” — language that has already sparked criticism from immigrant‑rights advocates and some lawmakers, who warn against tarring tens of thousands of law‑abiding refugees for the alleged actions of one individual. ^[30]

Vice President JD Vance, speaking separately to troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, called the shooting a “somber reminder” of the risks service members face, praising the Guard as the “sword and shield” of the nation while noting that investigators “still don’t know the motive.” ^[31]

Why Were National Guard Troops Patrolling D.C.?

The shooting took place against the backdrop of a controversial domestic deployment of National Guard troops ordered by President Trump earlier this year.

In August 2025, Trump declared a “crime emergency” in Washington, D.C., temporarily federalized the local police force and ordered Guard units from multiple states — including West Virginia — to reinforce the capital’s security. ^[32]
According to Army and administration officials, roughly 2,200 Guard members have been patrolling public spaces, manning highway checkpoints, providing security at events and even assisting with tasks like trash pickup in some areas. ^[33]
The deployment has been the subject of multiple lawsuits and political disputes. Civil‑liberties groups and D.C. officials argue that the operation amounts to a militarization of local policing, while the administration credits it with a significant drop in crime. A federal judge recently ordered the deployment to be wound down, but paused her ruling for 21 days to give the government time to appeal or withdraw troops. ^[34]

Trump himself had just touted Washington as “totally safe” and praised the Guard’s work during the traditional Thanksgiving turkey‑pardon ceremony — a striking contrast with the brazen attack on Guard troops less than 24 hours later. ^[35]

The Role of Operation Allies Welcome — and the New Political Fight

The suspect’s reported path into the U.S. is already at the center of a renewed political fight over Afghan resettlement and immigration vetting.

Operation Allies Welcome, launched under President Biden, brought tens of thousands of Afghans — many of whom worked alongside U.S. forces or diplomatic missions — to the United States after the Taliban takeover in 2021. ^[36]

Key facts about the program, according to Associated Press and other outlets:

Roughly 76,000 Afghans were resettled in the first wave.
Refugees went through multiple layers of security checks, but watchdogs and some lawmakers have criticized gaps in vetting or record‑keeping.
Advocates argue that the program saved Afghans who would otherwise have been targeted for their work with U.S. forces. ^[37]

With Lakanwal now accused in the D.C. attack, Trump and his allies are seizing on the case as evidence that the program is too risky. Supporters of Afghan refugees warn against collective punishment, noting that the overwhelming majority of evacuees have integrated peacefully and that criminal responsibility lies with individual offenders, not entire communities. ^[38]

How this debate unfolds — especially if investigators find ideological motives or overseas ties — could shape future decisions on refugee policy, asylum standards and the balance between security and humanitarian obligations.

What We Still Don’t Know

As of the morning of November 27, 2025, several major questions remain unanswered:

Motive: Investigators have not publicly identified what drove the suspect to allegedly target National Guard troops, nor whether any ideological, religious or political factors were involved. ^[39]
Radicalization and contacts: Officials are still reviewing phone records, online activity and international connections to determine whether Lakanwal acted entirely on his own or drew inspiration or support from others. ^[40]
Charges: While attempted murder and terrorism‑related charges are likely possibilities, prosecutors in Washington, D.C., have not yet announced a formal indictment. ^[41]
Long‑term policy fallout: The full impact of the USCIS Afghan immigration freeze — on families in the pipeline, on allies abroad and on America’s refugee system — will only become clear in the weeks and months to come. ^[42]

For now, the focus in Washington is on the victims’ recovery and the fast‑moving investigation. National Guard leaders say they are reassessing force‑protection measures in the capital, even as additional troops arrive under Trump’s new order. ^[43]