(Crankers) Authorities have identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, as the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting that left two West Virginia National Guard members critically wounded just blocks from the White House.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department and federal officials, the shooting took place around 2:15 p.m. on November 26, 2025, near 17th and I Streets NW, an area heavily patrolled due to heightened federal security operations in the capital. Officials described the attack as a “targeted ambush” on uniformed Guard members assigned to a protective security mission.
Investigators say Lakanwal allegedly approached the Guardsmen and opened fire with a handgun. The two soldiers were hit multiple times and transported to area hospitals in critical condition. Officers returning fire struck Lakanwal, who was then taken into custody and transported for medical treatment.
Law-enforcement sources told multiple outlets that Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through Afghan evacuation and resettlement programs following the collapse of the Afghan government. Public records reviewed by investigators indicate he lived previously in Washington State before arriving in the D.C. area.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are treating the shooting as a potential act of terrorism, though officials say no motive has been determined. Authorities also said there is no current evidence of additional suspects involved in the attack.
The shooting triggered temporary lockdowns around the White House complex and nearby federal buildings. Additional federal security teams were deployed, and President Donald Trump ordered 500 more National Guard troops to reinforce protection in the capital.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser and city police officials called the incident “deeply alarming,” stressing that the investigation is ongoing. The names of the wounded Guardsmen have not been publicly released.
Lakanwal remains hospitalized under federal custody as investigators review his background, immigration history, and possible communications tied to the attack.
