Federal and local officials will hold a press conference Thursday morning after two West Virginia National Guard members remained in critical condition following what authorities described as a “targeted shooting” near the White House on Wednesday.
The gunfire erupted around 2:15 p.m. near the Farragut West Metro station in downtown Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll said the unidentified shooter turned a corner, raised a firearm, and opened fire on the Guard members without warning.
Other nearby National Guard personnel immediately rushed toward the gunfire, subdued the attacker, and held him until law enforcement arrived, Carroll said.
“They heard the shots and were able to intervene, holding down the suspect after he had been shot and incapacitated,” Carroll noted during an evening briefing.
The White House was placed on temporary lockdown shortly after the shooting, though the restriction was lifted around 5 p.m. President Donald Trump and the first lady were in Florida at the time, spending Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago.
Multiple law enforcement sources identified the suspected gunman as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal. According to sources, Lakanwal is originally from Afghanistan and entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Biden administration. He applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted it in April 2025 after a review under the Trump administration.
Several officials told News men that the FBI is investigating the incident as a possible act of international terrorism, exploring whether the attack may have been inspired by a foreign militant organization.
FBI Director Kash Patel, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, and senior officials from the Metropolitan Police Department are expected to speak at a 9 a.m. ET press conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington.
The National Guard members targeted in the shooting were part of the federal deployment ordered by President Trump in August as part of the administration’s takeover of security operations in the capital. As of the latest update, 2,188 Guard personnel remain assigned to D.C.
Authorities have not yet disclosed a motive, but officials said the victims were wearing clearly identifiable Guard uniforms at the time of the shooting.
