White House shooting: Who is Rahmanullah Lakanwal? Suspect accused of critically wounding two guardsmen

Who is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of attacking two Guardsmen in DC

Authorities have identified the man accused of shooting two National Guard members just blocks from the White House as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who reportedly entered the United States in 2021. Officials said his identity is still being verified, and the motive for the attack remains uncertain.

The shooting took place on Wednesday afternoon near 17th Street and I Street NW, close to the Farragut Metro Station, where National Guard personnel were conducting high-visibility patrols. Police said the gunman turned a corner, raised a handgun, and fired directly at the two Guardsmen, leaving them critically injured.

This is the man who opened fire on the National Guard just one day before Thanksgiving.

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He was taken away in handcuffs after being shot, stripped, and loaded onto a stretcher before being placed in an ambulance.

Both National Guard members shot near the White House are now in… pic.twitter.com/31v8IySnwP

— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) November 26, 2025

Jeffery Carroll, executive assistant chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, said the attack appeared calculated. “It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” he stated. He added that investigators have found no evidence of additional suspects.

Images posted online appeared to show the suspect being restrained after the confrontation. One user wrote: “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.”

Federal agencies are working to track the suspect’s background as investigators review surveillance footage and interview witnesses.

Both Guardsmen remain hospitalized in critical condition. Their names have not yet been released as family notifications continue.

Reacting to the shooting, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social: “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price.”

Authorities said the suspect’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.