Two National Guard members were shot in an ambush-style attack near the Farragut Metro station in downtown Washington, D.C., on Nov. 26, 2025. Law enforcement sources said the gunman waited in concealment before opening fire on high-visibility Guard patrols, then continued shooting after seizing a fallen Guardswoman’s weapon. Roughly 10 to 15 shots were reported.
The suspect was shot multiple times during the ensuing confrontation. A third Guard member stabbed the suspect with a pocketknife and a fourth returned fire, incapacitating him. The suspect was transported by ambulance to a hospital and is now in police custody; sources said he was shot four times. The two wounded Guard members were taken to separate hospitals and were reported in critical condition. The FBI is leading the investigation with assistance from the Secret Service, ATF and U.S. Marshals.
Multiple law enforcement officials identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who was paroled into the U.S. on humanitarian grounds in September 2021 after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. A Department of Homeland Security official told CBS News that Lakanwal applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted asylum in 2025; his application for a green card tied to that grant is pending. Officials said he is technically an asylee and not in the U.S. illegally. Authorities also said the suspect is not cooperating with investigators.
The attack prompted swift federal and political responses. President Trump, briefed on the shooting while at Mar-a-Lago, called the attack a “heinous assault” and said the suspect entered the country from Afghanistan in 2021. He announced an order to mobilize an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington and said all Afghan migrants admitted under the previous administration would have their status reexamined. Defense and Homeland officials said the Army had received a request to supply extra Guardsmen and would work to fulfill it.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced an immediate, indefinite pause on processing all immigration applications filed by Afghan nationals pending review of security and vetting protocols. Homeland Security sources confirmed the identification of the suspect as an Afghan national.
Federal and local officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel and D.C. Metro Police leaders, described the shooting as intentional and targeted. Video reviewed by police showed a lone gunman ambushing the soldiers. The FBI described the case as a matter of national security and said the suspect “will be brought to justice.” Law enforcement said there is no known connection to the White House and no other suspects have been identified.
The incident drew bipartisan condemnation and expressions of support for the victims. President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama offered prayers and denounced the violence. Congressional leaders across parties urged Americans to pray for the wounded and praised the quick actions of law enforcement and the Guard. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb and several governors also condemned the attack.
Witnesses described sudden gunfire and scenes of people fleeing. Video and eyewitness accounts showed responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood. The Metropolitan Police Department secured the scene, and investigators continued to examine the suspect’s background, potential motives and any connections.
Officials cautioned that the investigation was in early stages and that many details remained under review. Authorities are expected to release further updates as the federal probe progresses and medical information on the injured service members becomes available.
