Gunman who shot US guards near White House had worked with military in Afghanistan

Washington: Officials have confirmed that the gunman who critically wounded two US National Guard members near the White House had previously worked with the US military during the war in Afghanistan. The CIA stated that the 29-year-old suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national who had been employed by a US-supported military unit during the conflict.

He entered the United States in September 2021 under a Biden-era immigration programme created for Afghans who assisted American forces.

How did the attack unfold?

Authorities revealed on Thursday that he drove more than 4,000 kilometres across the country before carrying out the shooting. Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney in Washington, DC, said the suspect left his home in Bellingham, Washington, and travelled across the United States with the intention of committing the attack. She added that he used a .357 revolver to shoot the Guard members on Wednesday afternoon.

What is the condition of the victims?

Both soldiers, Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe of the West Virginia National Guard, are in their 20s and remain in critical condition. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News that the two soldiers “came through surgery,” although she did not provide further medical details.

Where did the shooting occur and what is the federal response?

The attack took place less than 500 metres from the White House. President Trump was not in Washington at the time and is visiting Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday.

FBI Director Kash Patel said that agents were interviewing witnesses and executing search warrants “here in D.C. and at multiple locations on the West Coast.”

After officials confirmed the suspect’s nationality late Wednesday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a temporary pause on processing immigration applications from Afghanistan. This affects asylum seekers, green-card applicants and Afghans attempting to enter the United States.

How did President Trump respond?

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump called the shooting “an act of terror.” He said, “This heinous assault was an act of evil and an act of hatred, and an act of terror. It was a crime against our entire nation. It was a crime against humanity.”

He also announced the deployment of an additional 500 troops to “help protect our capital city.”

How many Guard troops are currently deployed?

There are approximately 2,400 National Guard troops deployed in Washington. This includes around 958 from the DC National Guard and approximately 1,300 from eight other states. Multiple states have contributed personnel in recent months as part of President Trump’s public-safety crackdown.

IANS inputs