The man who allegedly shot and critically injured two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House on Wednesday afternoon has been identified by the FBI as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national. Lakanwal came to the US during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 under President Joe Biden, according to the New York Post.
Lakanwal entered through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era initiative created to offer refuge to Afghans escaping Taliban control, The New York Times reported. Lakanwal, 29, was arrested after allegedly opening fire around 2:10 p.m. at the Farragut West Metro station in the heart of Washington, D.C. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.
Terror in DC
Investigators are now treating the attack as a potential act of terrorism. Officials say the suspect fired three shots before guardsmen returned fire, turning the incident into a brief shootout.
Jeffery Carroll, Executive Assistant Chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, said the gunman suddenly came around a corner, took out his gun and began shooting at the National Guard members.
After what Carroll described as "some back and forth," other guardsmen managed to take him down and detain him. When taken into custody, he reportedly had no identification and refused to cooperate with investigators.
Both National Guard members were shot in the head. CNN obtained cellphone footage showing first responders performing CPR on one of the wounded soldiers. The two victims are currently in critical condition.
Lakanwal—who was also shot—suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, federal officials said.
Authorities confirmed Lakanwal's identity through his fingerprints, though they are still verifying other personal details.
FBI Director Kash Patel said both victims are receiving treatment at a local hospital. Earlier, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey had mistakenly announced that the soldiers had died, but he later corrected his statement.
Patel also confirmed that Lakanwal will face charges for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer—a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Motive Still Unclear
West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey highlighted the courage of the two soldiers, saying that they had "volunteered their time" to serve during the Thanksgiving holiday. "He has attacked two of the bravest people," McCuskey said of the shooter.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that the shooting appeared to be a "targeted" assault, saying the attacker appeared to specifically go after the two guardsmen. Officials have described the incident as an "ambush" that unfolded near busy Farragut Square, an area packed with shops and restaurants.
Neither President Donald Trump nor Vice President JD Vance were in Washington at the time. Trump was in Florida for the holiday, while Vance was visiting troops in Kentucky.
Trump, however, reacted sharply to news of the shooting, saying the attacker is "an animal" and should "pay a very steep price."
Following the attack, Trump ordered 500 more National Guard members to be deployed to the nation's capital.
"We will never back down. We will secure our capital. We will secure our cities," Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters Wednesday. "President Trump has asked me, and I will ask the Secretary of the Army to the National Guard to add 500 additional troops, National Guardsmen to Washington DC."
"This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington DC safe and beautiful. The drop in crime has been historic. The increase in safety and security has been historic."
