Correction
National Guards, Shot Near the White House, Are Alive, But Critical
Earlier erroneous reports claimed they were dead, however they are still both in critical condition.
In a brazen daytime attack that has heightened security concerns in the nation's capital, a 29-year-old Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been identified as the suspect in the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House, as reported by NBC.
The incident, described by authorities as a targeted ambush, unfolded on Wednesday afternoon and has sparked intense scrutiny over U.S. immigration policies and vetting processes for Afghan refugees.
Lakanwal, who served for a decade in the Afghan army alongside U.S. Special Forces, including at a base in Kandahar, entered the United States in September 2021 under the Biden administration's Operation Allies Welcome program.
This initiative was designed to evacuate and resettle vulnerable Afghans and U.S. allies following the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's subsequent takeover. He was paroled into the country on September 8, 2021, and later applied for asylum in 2024, which was granted in April 2025 during the early months of the Trump administration.
At the time of the shooting, Lakanwal was residing in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children, and had been employed by Amazon and its delivery service, Amazon Flex.
A relative of Lakanwal, who also served with him in the Afghan military, expressed profound shock over the allegations. "I cannot believe it that he might do this," the relative told NBC News, adding that they had not spoken in several months and that Lakanwal had seemed focused on his work and family life during their last contact.
The relative, speaking from an undisclosed location, pleaded for more information on the motive, saying, "I don’t know what happened."The shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. on November 26 near the entrance to the Farragut West Metro station in downtown D.C., just blocks from the White House at the intersection of 17th and I Streets NW.
According to law enforcement accounts, Lakanwal approached the two Guard members, who were on high-visibility patrols as part of a broader deployment ordered by President Trump to bolster security in the capital. He raised a handgun and fired initial rounds, striking a female Guard member at least twice and causing her to collapse. Lakanwal then allegedly seized her service weapon and used it to shoot the second Guard member, a male.
A third uninjured Guard member returned fire, wounding Lakanwal and subduing him until D.C. Metropolitan Police arrived to take him into custody.
The victims, both from the West Virginia National Guard, are at local hospitals. The New York Post reported that Wolfe is currently undergoing surgery for his wounds.
One has been publicly identified as Andrew Wolfe, a graduate of Musselman High School in Berkeley County, West Virginia. The New York Post added that the National Guardswoman, who was allegedly shot in the chest and head by the Afghan national, has not yet been identified.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed their status, retracting earlier erroneous reports from West Virginia's governor that suggested the victims had succumbed to their injuries.
The Guard members were part of a contingent of over 2,000 personnel deployed to D.C. under federal authority. Lakanwal, who was also hospitalized following the exchange of gunfire, is in serious condition and has not been cooperating with investigators, according to law enforcement sources.
The motive for the attack remains unclear, with officials emphasizing that it does not appear to be linked to broader terrorism at this stage. However, the FBI is probing the incident as a potential act of international terrorism, including whether Lakanwal was inspired by any foreign terrorist organization.
No additional threats have been identified, but the investigation is ongoing, involving crime scene analysis and witness interviews.The attack has ignited a firestorm of political reactions, particularly regarding U.S. immigration from Afghanistan. President Donald Trump, speaking from Florida, condemned the shooting as a "crime against our entire nation" and an "act of evil," vowing that the perpetrator would "pay the steepest possible price."
He ordered an immediate review of all Afghan entrants under the Biden administration and directed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to halt processing of related immigration requests indefinitely.
Trump described the incident as underscoring "the single greatest national security threat" posed by inadequate vetting. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed these sentiments on X, labeling Lakanwal as one of the "many unvetted" individuals paroled under Operation Allies Welcome.
Former President Joe Biden, in a statement, expressed heartbreak over the violence and called for national unity. In response to the shooting, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to enhance security in D.C.Advocacy groups, including AfghanEvac, urged caution against generalizing the Afghan community. "This individual’s isolated and violent act should not be used as an excuse to define or diminish an entire community," said Shawn VanDiver, the organization's president.
As the investigation continues, authorities have reiterated that the public is not in immediate danger, but the event has prompted renewed debates on immigration, veteran support, and urban security in the capital. Updates are expected as more details emerge.