White House Lockdown After Brazen Attack on National Guard Members
Washington DC was thrown into chaos on Wednesday afternoon when a lone gunman opened fire on National Guard soldiers stationed less than two blocks from the White House. The incident triggered an immediate lockdown of the presidential compound and sent shockwaves through the nation's capital.
Two National Guard members from West Virginia sustained critical injuries in what DC Mayor Muriel Bowser described as a "targeted shooting." The attack occurred at approximately 14:15 EST (17:15 GMT) near the Farragut Square Metro Station, an area typically bustling with government workers and tourists.
Swift Response Prevents Greater Tragedy
According to Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll, the suspect "came around the corner" and "immediately started firing a firearm" in what he characterized as an ambush. The assailant specifically targeted the two soldiers before other National Guard members in the vicinity heard the gunfire and rushed to intervene.
"They actually were able to intervene and to kind of hold down the suspect, after he had been shot, on the ground until law enforcement got there within moments," Carroll explained during a press briefing. Law enforcement sources later revealed to CBS that the suspect was shot four times during the confrontation.
Suspect Identified as Afghan National
President Donald Trump, who was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when the attack occurred, identified the alleged gunman as Rahmanullah Lakamal, an Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the identification in an official press release, describing Lakamal as "a criminal alien from Afghanistan" though his specific immigration status remains unclear.
In a live address on Wednesday night, President Trump declared, "We must now re-examine every alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden." The President vowed his administration would ensure the suspect "pays the steepest possible price" for what he termed "an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror."
US Citizenship and Immigration Services has halted processing of all Afghan immigration requests pending a comprehensive review of vetting protocols. This immediate policy shift underscores the serious nature of the security breach and the administration's determination to prevent similar incidents.
Investigation Underway as Nation Reacts
FBI Director Kash Patel, whose agency is leading the investigation, told reporters that the soldiers were "brazenly attacked in a horrendous act of violence." The swift response from fellow National Guard members likely prevented additional casualties, though the two injured soldiers remain in critical condition at separate hospitals.
President Trump took to Truth Social to express his outrage, writing: "The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price." He concluded his message with, "God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement."
The incident has reignited debates about national security and immigration vetting procedures, particularly concerning individuals arriving from conflict zones. As the investigation continues, security remains heightened throughout the capital, with authorities assuring the public that no additional threats have been identified.
