Afghan National Identified in US National Guard Shooting Incident

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Two soldiers from the United States national guard were shot and critically injured near the White House in what officials described as a targeted ambush.

The suspect is in custody after suffering gunshot wounds during the incident that happened on Thursday morning AEDT.

Investigators identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national from Washington state, according to two Trump administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism, one official said.

Arriving in the United States in 2021, Lakanwal was part of the Operation Allies Welcome initiative, a program established by then-President Joe Biden. This effort aimed to resettle thousands of Afghans who had supported the U.S. during the Afghanistan conflict and were at risk of Taliban retaliation.

A man wearing a black jacket and a hat that says "FBI".

In a concerning development, FBI Director Kash Patel reported that two soldiers were critically injured. This incident underscores ongoing challenges and security concerns related to the resettlement process.

Upon his arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport on September 8, 2021, Lakanwal was processed as part of the mass evacuation and resettlement efforts. This program was a critical move to provide refuge to those whose lives were endangered by their association with the U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan.

However, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency has since announced a suspension on processing immigration requests for Afghan nationals. This decision, described as indefinite, comes as the agency reviews and enhances its security and vetting protocols.

The attack prompted the White House to go into lockdown as law enforcement from multiple federal and city agencies swarmed the area.

Armed personnel stand on a road in front of a tape that cordons off an area of the incident. A crowd is visible on the other side of the tape.

The White House was sent into lockdown due to the shooting. Source: AP / Mark Schiefelbein

The two wounded troops were part of a “high-visibility patrol” a few blocks from the White House when the suspect came around a corner and “ambushed” them, police said at a press briefing.

After an exchange of gunfire, other national guard members were able to subdue the suspect, they said.

The two wounded soldiers were in critical condition at local hospitals, Federal Bureau of Investigation director Kash Patel said.

West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey had initially said in a post on X that both victims were members of his state’s national guard and had died from their injuries. But he soon posted a second statement that cited “conflicting reports” about their condition.

The motive for the shooting was not immediately clear, but officials said they believe the shooter acted alone. The identities of the victims have not been made public.

National guard troops in uniform patrolling near the White House building.

The motive for the shooting was not immediately clear, but officials said they believe the shooter acted alone. Source: AAP / AP / Rahmat Gul

US vice president JD Vance is in Kentucky.

In a social media post, Trump said the suspected shooter would “pay a very steep price” and praised the national guard.

More national guard troops to be deployed

Defence secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Trump had asked for 500 additional national guard soldiers to be deployed to Washington in the wake of the shooting.

National guard soldiers have been in Washington since August, when Trump deployed them to the streets as part of his contentious immigration and crime crackdown targeting Democratic-led cities.

National guard members in camouflage standing near crime scene tape.

National guard troops have been in Washington since August, when they were deployed by US President Donald Trump. Source: AP / Mark Schiefelbein

The guard troops in the city include contingents from the District of Columbia as well as Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia and Alabama.

Trump has repeatedly suggested crime has disappeared from the capital as a result of the deployment, an assertion at odds with the police department’s official crime statistics.