Warning: Graphic image below.
A gunman who ambushed and killed two National Guardsmen near the White House has been identified as a 29-year-old Afghan national. He immigrated to the United States during the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, according to law enforcement sources.
Rahmanullah Rakanwal was around 2:15 p.m. when he took a corner near the Farragut West subway station in Northwest Washington, D.C. Reports indicate he opened fire, hitting a female security guard in the chest and then fatally shooting her in the head.
After the initial attack, Rakanwal, who came to the U.S. through Operation Welcome Allies and was relocated to Bellingham, Washington, allegedly shot a second security guard. Fortunately, a third guard nearby intervened, managing to subdue him.
Two armed soldiers patrolling the area during the shooting were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
It’s reported that the suspect was shot four times and transported by ambulance, apparently in a near-naked state, acting alone.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the incident, although the FBI initially considered it a possible terrorist attack.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser characterized the event as a “targeted shooting,” noting that it seemed one individual deliberately aimed at the security guards.
The incident, which has been described as an “ambush,” took place close to Farragut Square—an area bustling with shops and eateries.
At the time of the shooting, President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were not in the city. Trump was in Florida, while Vance was visiting troops in Kentucky. Following the shooting, Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.
“We will never retreat. We will secure the capital. We will secure the cities,” stated Army Secretary Pete Hegseth. He reaffirmed the request to the Secretary of the Army for the troop increase. “This only further strengthens our resolve to keep Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful.”
According to Pentagon officials, about 2,100 National Guard troops were stationed in Washington, D.C., comprising approximately 900 from the local National Guard and about 1,200 from other states.
A federal judge had recently ordered the Trump administration to withdraw the National Guard from the area but postponed the order’s implementation until December 11 to allow for an appeal.
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