Afghan national arrested after White House-area National Guard shooting
Law enforcement identified the 29-year-old suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the US in 2021 under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, a programme that evacuated and resettled Afghans after the US withdrawal.
An Afghan national has been taken into custody after shooting two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House yesterday (26 November), leaving the troops hospitalised in critical condition.
FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed the shooting, while West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey retracted earlier reports of deaths, citing "conflicting reports" about the guardsmen's condition.
The suspect was also shot and sustained injuries not considered life-threatening, officials said.
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Law enforcement identified the 29-year-old suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the US in 2021 under the Biden administration's Operation Allies Welcome, a programme that evacuated and resettled Afghans after the US withdrawal.
Lakanwal had been living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children. Authorities are still verifying his background.
Police said the shooting occurred roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station. Video footage reviewed by investigators suggested the gunman "came around the corner" and immediately opened fire.
Mayor Bowser described the incident as a "targeted shooting." At least one National Guard member exchanged fire with the suspect before other troops held him down.
President Donald Trump, in a video message, called for a reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees admitted under the Biden administration, calling the attack "a crime against our entire nation." US officials have not yet determined a motive.
