2 national guards shot near White House, Afghan suspect identified

New Delhi, Nov 27: Two members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot near the White House are in critical condition, officials said on Tuesday.

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser described the incident as a “targeted shooting.” According to CNN, President Donald Trump condemned the attack, calling it “a heinous assault” and “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.” The president said authorities believe the suspected gunman is from Afghanistan and entered the United States in 2021. The Department of Homeland Security has identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal. CNN reported earlier that Lakanwal had applied for asylum in 2024, and it was approved by the Trump administration in April 2025, according to officials. Meanwhile, the administration has asked a federal appeals court to issue an emergency stay on a ruling by a federal judge ordering the removal of the National Guard from Washington, DC. The judge had ruled last week that the deployment was unlawful, CNN reported.

The United States has suspended all immigration requests from Afghans after an Afghan national was identified as the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House on Wednesday. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said the suspension will remain in place while authorities review “security and vetting protocols.”

US President Donald Trump described the attack as an “act of terror” and said he would work to remove foreigners “from any country who does not belong here”. He added that the US “must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.” Tens of thousands of Afghans were admitted to the US under special protections following the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan during the Biden administration.

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