An Afghan national has been identified as the suspected gunman in a brazen ambush attack that left two National Guard members critically wounded just blocks from the White House, according to Department of Homeland Security officials.
Attack Details and Suspect Identification
The shooting occurred on Wednesday when Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, allegedly opened fire on National Guard troops during what authorities described as a calculated ambush. The suspect was eventually shot by another Guard member and taken into custody, currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.
Jeff Carroll, executive assistant chief of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters that the incident appeared to be the work of a lone gunman who raised his firearm and ambushed the National Guard members as they conducted patrols near a downtown mass transit station.
Immigration Background and Political Reactions
Law enforcement sources revealed that Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program designed for Afghan nationals following the Taliban takeover. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed he was paroled into the country on September 8, 2021.
According to Department of Homeland Security officials, Lakanwal was initially paroled on humanitarian grounds and later applied for asylum in 2024, which was granted in 2025. His application for a green card remains pending.
The incident sparked immediate political reactions, with former President Donald Trump describing the suspect as a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan, a hellhole on Earth in a video message released Wednesday evening.
Sequence of the Attack
Investigation sources provided chilling details of how the ambush unfolded. According to their accounts, Lakanwal initially had four rounds in his handgun when he began the attack.
The first victim, a female Guard member, was struck immediately and collapsed after sustaining at least two gunshot wounds. The suspect then reportedly took her weapon and used it to shoot a second Guard member before a third Guard member returned fire, ultimately ending the violent encounter.
Both wounded Guard members, identified as being from the West Virginia National Guard, remain in critical condition according to FBI Director Kash Patel. The troops were participating in high visibility patrols as part of a monthslong deployment ordered by President Trump.
Investigation Status and Suspect Cooperation
Law enforcement officials confirmed that Lakanwal is not cooperating with investigators at this time. The suspect was subdued at the scene by a combination of National Guard members and law enforcement officers before being taken into custody.
Authorities noted that the attack represents another security incident near the White House complex, coming months after Secret Service members shot an armed man from Indiana who was spotted with a firearm just outside the presidential residence in March.
The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the motive behind the ambush and whether the suspect acted entirely alone or had any assistance in planning the attack.
