Rahmanullah Lakanwal Identified as Suspect in DC National Guard Shooting That Critically Wounded Two Troops

The gunman who shot and critically wounded two National Guard members near the White House in Washington, D.C., Wednesday afternoon has been identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, officials said. Lakanwal reportedly arrived in the U.S. in 2021 as part of the U.S. resettlement initiative following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. No motive has been publicly confirmed.

Authorities say the attack occurred around 2:15 p.m. near Farragut West Metro Station in Northwest D.C., in what officials described as a targeted ambush. Lakanwal allegedly shot a female National Guard member first in the chest and then in the head before firing at a second guard. A third guard stationed nearby ultimately subdued the suspect, NBC News reported.

The two guards were transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Lakanwal was reportedly shot four times during the confrontation and is now in critical condition. Police recovered a handgun at the scene believed to have been used in the attack. Officials have not released the names of the injured guards, though they are reportedly from the West Virginia National Guard.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal Identified as Suspect in DC National Guard Shooting That Critically Wounded Two Troops

The FBI is treating the shooting as a potential act of terrorism, though the suspect is believed to have acted alone. The incident took place near Farragut Square, a busy area filled with shops and restaurants.

According to the New York Post, Lakanwal had relocated to Bellingham, Washington, after arriving in the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome, which resettled vulnerable Afghans, including those who assisted U.S. forces. The program provided immigration processing and resettlement support for roughly 90,000 Afghans, some of whom were eligible for Special Immigrant Visas.

National Guard members have been deployed to Washington since August following directives to curb crime in the capital. At the time of the shooting, approximately 2,100 troops were stationed in D.C., including around 900 from the D.C. National Guard and roughly 1,200 from other states, according to the New York Post. Following the incident, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that 500 additional National Guard troops would be sent to the city to strengthen security. “We will never back down. We will secure our capital. We will secure our cities,” Hegseth told reporters.

The shooting also comes amid ongoing concerns about the vetting of Afghan evacuees. A June Justice Department inspector general report noted that 55 Afghan evacuees who immigrated during U.S. withdrawal were initially on the terrorist watchlist, though 46 were later removed. As of July 2024, nine remained on the list, including eight in the U.S., highlighting security concerns surrounding resettlement programs.