Two National Guard Soldiers Shot Near White House; Suspect is an Afghan Immigrant

Washington, D.C. –  On Wednesday, two soldiers of the United States National Guard were critically wounded in a brazen daytime shooting near the white house; President Donald Trump immediately labelled the attack as an act of terror.

The assault happened around 2:15 pm local time, two blocks off the complex of the White House complex, causing a temporary security lockdown. The injured suspect, who was arrested, is a foreigner who immigrated in 2021 and was confirmed by law enforcement.

Details of the Attack

The two soldiers, a man and a woman, were on high-visibility patrol, an operation augmented by President Trump to fight street crime and aid immigration enforcement.

The attacker, according to DC Police Executive Assistant Chief Jeffrey Carroll, turned a corner and attacked these members of the National Guard without warning, lifting a gun and hitting the two soldiers several times. The two victims were hurried to the local trauma centers where they are still in critical condition.

The suspect also sustained an injury during the encounter, but the investigators have yet to establish whether it was inflicted by the soldiers when they fired back, or it was self-inflicted. The police assured us that there are no more suspects, and the threat has been eliminated.

Suspect Identified

The Department of Homeland Security has identified the suspected attacker as Rahmanullah Lucknow, a 29-year-old Afghan national. According to reports, he moved to the United States in 2021 during the US withdrawal under Operation Allies Welcome. He later applied for asylum in 2024, which was approved by the Trump administration in April 2025.

Connection to the former Afghan Zero Unit

According to US intelligence, Rahmanullah Lucknow was a former member of the former Afghan government’s Zero Unit of the National Defense System. He was airlifted by US forces from Nimroz in 2021. 

Political and Security Reaction

It caused an immediate and powerful political response by President Trump, who was in Florida during the incident.

“It was an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror,” Trump said, confirming that the man taken into custody “entered our country from Afghanistan” on the evacuation flights following the US withdrawal in August 2021.

The President used the incident to call for a sweeping re-examination of all aliens who entered the country from Afghanistan under the previous administration, stating, “We must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here.”

Following the shooting, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said the President directed the immediate deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, stating, “This happened just steps away from the White House. It will not stand.”

Investigation Focuses on Terrorism Link

The case is being handled with a lot of caution by federal law enforcement. According to the confirmation of senior counterterrorism officials to media outlets, the FBI is looking into the shooting as a potential act of international terrorism, and they are looking at the possibility that the attack was inspired by a foreign militant group.

Unease in Muslim Communities

The background of the suspect and the emphasis on international terrorism instantly raised alarm in Muslim communities in the US. Civil rights organizations urged people and the media to be extremely cautious and restrained before speculating on the identity and motive, until the law enforcers confirm the identity and motive.

This was also echoed by a federal official who pointed out that the nature of the investigation could vary as more information comes out, and that people should remain calm until the FBI arrives at a definite conclusion.