Law enforcement officials have identified the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting of two National Guardsmen in downtown Washington, D.C., as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal. Officials say a handgun was used and that Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021.
The shooting occurred about two blocks north of the White House, near a Metro stop at 17th and K Streets, roughly 100 feet behind a CBS News reporter on the scene. Members of the West Virginia National Guard, performing a high-visibility patrol, were allegedly ambushed when a suspect rounded a corner and opened fire. Authorities say roughly 10 to 15 rounds were fired in what they described as an ambush-style attack.
Two Guardsmen were taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition and were later stabilized, according to officials. The suspect was also injured and transported to a hospital; senior law enforcement sources said he was shot four times. Other National Guard members on patrol subdued the suspect, and Metropolitan Police, EMS, fire personnel and multiple federal agencies responded within minutes. Those federal responders included U.S. Secret Service uniformed division personnel from the White House, U.S. Marshals, ATF agents and FBI personnel.
President Donald Trump called the suspect an animal, and FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI will lead the investigation and that the suspect will face enormous consequences. The president directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy an additional 500 National Guard members to Washington, D.C. There are about 2,100 Guard members in the district who have been deployed since roughly August under a national crime emergency.
CBS News homeland security correspondent Nicole Sganga reported from the scene as local and federal authorities coordinated their response. Retired FBI Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Jeff Harp told CBS News the bureau will likely treat the case as a terrorism matter while it investigates, citing the suspect’s background and the apparent targeting of uniformed National Guard personnel.
Harp noted several features of the attack that complicate detection and investigation: the use of a concealed handgun, the suspect’s ability to move through downtown D.C. without encountering metal detectors, and signs of preoperational planning. Given the suspect’s reported arrival in the U.S. in 2021, investigators will examine any potential connections that could indicate an international terrorism link.
Officials said the shooting will prompt heightened security around upcoming large public events and holiday gatherings, with local and federal partners reviewing security assets and intelligence. The FBI’s Washington field office and headquarters resources, including the Joint Terrorism Task Force, were expected to support the investigation.
Authorities have not publicly released a motive, and the investigation is ongoing.