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Authorities have identified the suspect in the Washington DC shooting that critically injured two National Guard members near the White House. Law enforcement sources told CBS News that the accused is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021. Officials are still verifying all his details, and the motive remains unclear.Images shared online appeared to show the suspect being taken away in handcuffs after being shot and placed on a stretcher. “This is the man who opened fire on the National Guard just one day before Thanksgiving. He was taken away in handcuffs after being shot, stripped, and loaded onto a stretcher before being placed in an ambulance,” an X user wrote, sharing the picture.The shooting happened on Wednesday afternoon when National Guard members were on “high-visibility patrols” near 17th Street and I Street NW. Police said the gunman came around a corner, raised a handgun, and fired directly at the two soldiers. Other Guard members nearby immediately responded.
The White House and nearby federal buildings were briefly placed under lockdown. Mayor Muriel Bowser and FBI director Kash Patel said both soldiers are in critical condition. President Donald Trump confirmed that the suspect was also seriously injured. The FBI is treating the incident as a possible act of terrorism, and the case is being handled as an assault on federal officers. The Trump administration later ordered 500 additional National Guard troops to the city.
