An Afghan national is in custody after two West Virginia National Guard members were shot just blocks from the White House on Wednesday, a shocking act of violence that has intensified political tensions surrounding the presence of military personnel in U.S. cities. FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said both Guard members were hospitalized in critical condition following the afternoon shooting.
Initial confusion over their status led West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey to mistakenly announce their deaths before later clarifying that conflicting reports had reached his office. The attack, occurring on the eve of Thanksgiving, marks a rare instance of National Guard troops being targeted on American soil. It unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing legal and political battles over the Trump administration’s deployment of troops to Washington and other major cities as part of its effort to tackle what it describes as surging crime. In response to the shooting, the administration ordered an additional 500 National Guard members to the capital. The suspect, who was also wounded during the incident, is expected to survive his injuries.
A law enforcement official, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to comment, said the man is 29 years old and had entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome — the Biden-era program that evacuated and resettled Afghans following the U.S. withdrawal. Authorities are continuing their investigation as the nation grapples with the political and security implications of the attack.
