{"id":43161,"date":"2025-11-27T01:29:57","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T01:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/?p=43161"},"modified":"2025-11-27T01:29:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T01:29:57","slug":"c3r7qpqddnroat_mediumrssat_campaignrss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/2025\/11\/27\/c3r7qpqddnroat_mediumrssat_campaignrss\/","title":{"rendered":"Two National Guard members in critical condition after shooting near White House"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">Watch: How the shooting of two National Guard members unfolded<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Two National Guard soldiers are critically injured after being gunned down in Washington DC, less than two blocks from the White House, in what the city&#8217;s mayor called a &#8220;targeted shooting&#8221;.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Police said a lone suspect opened fire on the National Guard members on Wednesday afternoon, before being subdued by other National Guard nearby who had heard the gunfire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The attack prompted the White House to briefly go into lockdown and a temporary flight stoppage at the city&#8217;s main airport on the eve of Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">President Donald Trump, who was in Florida at the time of the attack, vowed that the attacker would &#8220;pay a very steep price&#8221;. The suspect is reportedly an Afghan national.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 GunZh\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/5-key-moments-after-MPs-quiz-top-BBC-figures.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/f8e0\/live\/55be4610-cb0a-11f0-b7a4-fb82e55d26db.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/f8e0\/live\/55be4610-cb0a-11f0-b7a4-fb82e55d26db.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Two-National-Guard-members-in-critical-condition-after-shooting-near.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/f8e0\/live\/55be4610-cb0a-11f0-b7a4-fb82e55d26db.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/f8e0\/live\/55be4610-cb0a-11f0-b7a4-fb82e55d26db.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/f8e0\/live\/55be4610-cb0a-11f0-b7a4-fb82e55d26db.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/f8e0\/live\/55be4610-cb0a-11f0-b7a4-fb82e55d26db.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Two-National-Guard-members-in-critical-condition-after-shooting-near.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Getty Images An armed policeman stands guard near yellow tape in Washington DC\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><span class=\"sc-5340b511-2 jVqbAn\">Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Multiple law enforcement sources identified the suspect to the BBC&#8217;s US partner CBS as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, and said he entered the US in 2021. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A statement from Joint Task Force DC, which is overseeing the National Guard deployments to the nation&#8217;s capital, said the attack took place at around 14:15 EST (17:15 GMT) on Wednesday near the Farragut Square Metro Station.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The soldiers were on a high-visibility patrol near the corner of 17th and I streets, a busy lunch spot for office workers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">FBI Director Kash Patel &#8211; whose agency is leading the investigation &#8211; told a news conference the soldiers were &#8220;brazenly attacked in a horrendous act of violence&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said the suspect &#8220;came around the corner&#8221; and &#8220;immediately started firing a firearm&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Other National Guard members nearby heard the gunfire and responded, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;They actually were able to intervene and to kind of hold down the suspect, after he had been shot, on the ground until law enforcement got there within moments,&#8221; Carroll said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The suspect was shot four times, law enforcement sources told CBS. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 GunZh\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/5-key-moments-after-MPs-quiz-top-BBC-figures.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/7302\/live\/81e26480-cb08-11f0-9fb5-5f3a3703a365.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/7302\/live\/81e26480-cb08-11f0-9fb5-5f3a3703a365.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764206996_847_Two-National-Guard-members-in-critical-condition-after-shooting-near.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/7302\/live\/81e26480-cb08-11f0-9fb5-5f3a3703a365.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/7302\/live\/81e26480-cb08-11f0-9fb5-5f3a3703a365.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/7302\/live\/81e26480-cb08-11f0-9fb5-5f3a3703a365.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/7302\/live\/81e26480-cb08-11f0-9fb5-5f3a3703a365.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764206996_847_Two-National-Guard-members-in-critical-condition-after-shooting-near.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A map showing Washington DC and where the shooting took place\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is unclear what weapon was used in the assault. Nor was a motive immediately clear.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">President Trump &#8211; who is at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach &#8211; vowed to punish the attacker.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price,&#8221; he wrote on Truth Social.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">US Vice-President JD Vance, who was addressing troops in Kentucky at the time of the attack, urged &#8220;everybody who&#8217;s a person of faith&#8221; to pray for the victims.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a post on X that both victims were members of his state&#8217;s National Guard and had died from their injuries. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But he soon posted a second statement that cited &#8220;conflicting reports&#8221; about their condition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Flights through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were briefly grounded after the attack, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At the scene, glass from a bus stop lay shattered on the pavement. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The intersection was full of police cars, armed security personnel and National Guard troops. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">One witness told the BBC he heard two gunshots, followed by three more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">People ran in panic, some trying to take shelter in a liquor store. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Another witness who was in his car close to the metro station said he also heard the gunfire. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He showed the BBC footage he took of the two soldiers lying on the street in their uniforms being treated by medics. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A third person was also on the pavement being treated. The witness said he did not know whether this third person was the alleged gunman.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the president had asked him to send 500 more National Guard members to Washington DC, following the attack.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington DC safe and beautiful,&#8221; the Pentagon chief said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">Watch: Trump calls for 500 more guardsmen in DC after shooting, says Hegseth<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">There are currently nearly 2,200 National Guard troops in Washington DC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The force includes contingents from the District of Columbia as well as Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia and Alabama.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">They are a reservist force that can be activated to serve as military troops, but have limited power as they cannot enforce the law or make arrests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The National Guard were deployed to Washington DC in August to tackle what Trump called &#8220;out of control&#8221; crime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Overall crime in the nation&#8217;s capital has fallen since the force was sent, though it&#8217;s unclear how much of the decline can be credited to the presence of the troops on the streets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Washington DC police figures show 62 homicides (a category that includes murder) between 25 May and 25 November this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">That compares with 107 homicides recorded in the same period last year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Nearly 6,500 offences have been recorded by police since 12 August, down from about 9,500 in the same period in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Trump, a Republican, has sent the National Guard to Democratic-led US cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Memphis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He argues the deployments were needed to tackle crime, but opponents legally challenged the moves, accusing the White House of overreach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n#National #Guard #members #critical #condition #shooting #White #House<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Watch: How the shooting of two National Guard members unfolded Two National Guard soldiers are critically injured after being gunned&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mzansi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43161"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43163,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43161\/revisions\/43163"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}