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

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.
Other Guard members and law enforcement officers already present in the area immediately responded, shooting the suspect before taking him into custody. He was taken to a local hospital under heavy security.

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.