Two West Virginia National Guard members remain in critical condition after sustaining gunshot wounds during a patrol just blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday afternoon.
The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed the shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. Executive Assistant Chief Jeffrey Carroll reported that a gunman approached and opened fire on the Guard members. The assailant was subsequently shot, subdued by other Guard personnel, and taken into custody. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser characterized the incident as a "targeted" attack.
Suspect Identified as Afghan Parolee
The Department of Homeland Security identified the alleged shooter as Rahmanullah Lakamal, an individual who entered the United States from Afghanistan in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome. This program granted two-year humanitarian parole to thousands of Afghans following the withdrawal of U.S. forces.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe issued a statement confirming the individual was admitted based on his "prior work with the U.S. Government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar." Following the incident, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services stopped processing immigration applications from Afghan nationals, citing the need for "further review of security and vetting protocols."
Military Deployment and Legal Context
The shooting occurred while the National Guard was deployed in the nation's capital, a policy initiated by the administration over recent months in several U.S. cities, often drawing political and legal challenges. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed a request to order an additional 500 troops to the city following the attack.
The ongoing deployment in D.C. recently faced a preliminary injunction from a federal judge ruling its use was unlawful, though the order had not yet taken effect pending an administrative appeal. A motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
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