Afghan national identified as suspect in shooting of two National Guard members near White House
Two National Guard members were shot and critically injured near the White House on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national.
November 27, 2025 - 01:16 AM ET • 2 min read
Two members of the National Guard were shot and critically injured in a targeted ambush attack near the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities identified the suspected gunman as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national. Lakanwal was detained after being shot by another Guard member and is currently hospitalized with gunshot wounds, officials said. It was unclear who fired the shot that injured the gunman.
The shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. near the entrance to the Farragut West Metro Station, located just a few blocks from the White House in the city's tourist district. Authorities said Lakanwal appeared to have acted alone. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser described the incident as a targeted attack carried out by a lone gunman.
President Donald Trump addressed the shooting in a televised address Wednesday evening, calling the incident an "act of terror" and stating the gunman would "pay a very steep price."
Both National Guard members were left in critical condition following the attack. One of the injured soldiers, identified as Andrew Wolfe, is a West Virginia National Guard member and an alumnus of Musselman High School. Wolfe is currently undergoing surgery, according to his former high school. The second victim is a female National Guard member. Both soldiers were armed at the time of the incident.
Suspect Details
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Rahmanullah Lakanwal was the suspected shooter. Law enforcement sources said Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021. He was paroled into the country under Operation Allies Welcome, a program established for Afghan nationals.
Sources familiar with the investigation reported that Lakanwal had previously served in the Afghan Army, stationed in Kandahar, where he supported U.S. Special Forces. A relative told NBC News that Lakanwal was injured while serving in the Afghan army before fleeing the country and entering the U.S. Sources also indicated that Lakanwal was in the country illegally after allegedly overstaying his visa.