WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The suspect in the shooting of two U.S. National Guard members near the White House on Wednesday is an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021, U.S. media reported, citing law enforcement officials.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has been living in the state of Washington, senior law enforcement sources told NBC News. Officials said they are still working to verify all of his personal details.
The FBI will open an investigation into the shooting as a possible act of terrorism, according to senior U.S. law enforcement officials.
The incident took place a few blocks away from the White House at around 2:15 p.m. local time (1915 GMT), according to authorities. The National Guard members were on patrol when an individual approached from around the corner, raised a firearm and opened fire.
Two National Guard members were shot and remain "in critical condition," FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters. The suspect was also shot and was being treated at a hospital, police said.
In a social media post, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the two guardsmen, both of whom are "critically wounded," are in two separate hospitals, and that the gunman was also severely wounded.
Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, D.C., said at a briefing that the shooting was a "targeted attack."
Following the shooting, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that Trump asked him to send 500 more National Guard members to Washington, D.C. ■
