Two National Guard Soldiers Badly Hurt
A terrifying shooting happened close to the White House on Wednesday. Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot and badly hurt. The attack was quickly labeled an ‘act of terror’ by President Donald Trump.
The two guardsmen were working in Washington, D.C., when they were suddenly shot just a few streets away from the President’s house. The reason for the shooting is still a mystery.
The Attack and Who Did It
Police said the person who fired the gun was Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national. A DC police chief, Jeffrey Carroll, said video evidence shows Lakanwal “came around the corner” and immediately started shooting at the soldiers.
The shooting happened very close to a metro station. Other soldiers nearby quickly ran over to help and stopped the attack. They held Lakanwal down after he was shot. His injuries from being shot are not life-threatening, meaning he is expected to survive.
How the Suspect Came to the U.S.
A major focus of the investigation is Lakanwal’s background. Officials confirmed that he is an Afghan citizen who came to the U.S. in 2021.
He entered the country through a program called Operation Allies Welcome. This program was run by the previous administration (Joe Biden’s) and helped bring tens of thousands of Afghans to the U.S. after American troops left Afghanistan. Many of these people, like Lakanwal, had worked with U.S. troops and diplomats as translators or helpers.
Lakanwal has a wife and five children. A family member said he had a long history working with the U.S. military. He reportedly served alongside U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan before moving to the U.S. in 2021. He was in the Afghan army for 10 years.
Even though he helped American forces, his sudden attack on National Guard members has caused great confusion and anger.
President Trump’s Strong Reaction
President Donald Trump spoke at the White House soon after the attack. He focused heavily on the program that brought Lakanwal to the U.S., calling the flights from Afghanistan “infamous” and Afghanistan itself “a hellhole on Earth.”
Trump and his political allies have often criticized the Operation Allies Welcome program, saying the background checks for people coming in were too fast and not thorough enough. Those who support the program, however, say it was a necessary way to save people who were in danger from the Taliban.
Because of the shooting, the U.S. government is now under pressure to look much more closely at everyone who came in through that program. The priority is to make sure no one else who might be a danger is living in the U.S.
What Happens Next
The biggest question remains: Why did Rahmanullah Lakanwal attack these troops? His motive is completely unknown right now.
- Victims: Two West Virginia National Guard members are in critical condition.
- Suspect: Rahmanullah Lakanwal is in custody.
- Investigation: The FBI and police are working together to find out if this was a planned terrorist attack.
The incident highlights a major security concern and has led to a political battle over immigration and border security policies. The government is now trying to understand the full picture of the suspect’s past while the injured guardsmen fight for their lives.
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