Updated November 26, 2025 at 8:12 PM PST
Two West Virginia National Guard members were in critical condition after a shooting near the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday — in what the city's mayor described as a "targeted" attack. The gunman, who was also shot, was in custody, according to authorities.
In a video posted to social media on Wednesday evening, President Trump called the shooting a "monstrous, ambush style attack," adding that the suspect was a "foreigner" who came to the U.S. from Afghanistan in September 2021. The suspect's name was not disclosed.
"As we are filled with anguish and grief for those who were shot, we're also filled with righteous anger and ferocious resolve," the president said.
Trump blamed the Biden administration's immigration policies for allowing the gunman to enter the U.S. He vowed that every person who entered the U.S. from Afghanistan during Joe Biden's presidency will be under review.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on X that the suspect came to the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome, a program that helped resettled Afghan refugees, including those who aided the U.S. government, after the Taliban took over Afghanistan.
Trump confirmed plans to send 500 more Guard personnel to the nation's capital, which was announced earlier by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. That's in addition to the roughly 2,200 troops already deployed there as part of his crackdown on crime.
The timeline
The shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Jeffrey Carroll, the executive assistant chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department.
Speaking at a press conference that evening, Carroll said the gunman came around a corner and opened fire at the Guard members while they were on patrol.
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Nearby Guard members quickly intervened and subdued the shooter, Carroll said. It was unclear who shot the gunman, he added. The two injured Guard members and the shooter were transported to a hospital, according to Carroll.
Earlier on Wednesday, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey had said the Guard members were killed, but reversed himself less than half an hour later.
"We are now receiving conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members," he wrote on X.
Authorities later clarified that the two Guardsmen were in critical condition and remain hospitalized.
The response
At the press conference on Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau will lead the investigation. He added that the attack will be prosecuted at the federal level as an assault on a federal law enforcement officer.
As of Wednesday evening, a motive was not yet publicly known. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on X that the person responsible would "be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump wrote on Truth Social, "The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen ... is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price." He was in Florida at the time of the shooting.
The National Guard deployment in D.C.
Over the past few months, more than 2,000 National Guard personnel have been sent to D.C. to assist with patrols and beautification efforts.
More than half of the Guard members were brought in from other states, including about 179 Guard members from West Virginia, according to the military's Joint Task Force in D.C.
Trump began deploying troops to the nation's capital in early August over concerns about the city's crime rate. Last week, a federal judge ruled that the use of troops in D.C. was unlawful and ordered an end to the deployment.
The judge's preliminary injunction has not yet taken effect to give the Trump administration time to appeal.
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