Two National Guard soldiers were shot just blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday in what authorities described as a “targeted attack.” The incident immediately spurred a lockdown around the executive complex and a large response from federal and local law enforcement agencies.
The shooting occurred in the vicinity of the intersection of 17th and I Streets NW, just two blocks north of Farragut Square, typically bustling with office workers and tourists. Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said a suspect approached a high-visibility patrol unit and began firing without warning.
Both Guard members were rushed to the hospital and remained in critical condition, confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel. Officials have yet to release their identities as the investigation continues.
Suspect in Custody After Exchange of Gunfire
Authorities said the suspect was taken into custody shortly after the incident, having sustained gunshot injuries. The motive of this attack is yet to be revealed, and investigations are in place to establish if the shooter was acting alone.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stressed the gravity of the incident by underlining emphatically:
“This was a targeted attack.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially announced that both Guard members died but subsequently issued a correction citing “conflicting information” about their conditions.
White House on Lockdown; National Leaders Respond
Even though President Donald Trump was at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and Vice President JD Vance was in Kentucky ahead of Thanksgiving, the proximity of the shooting to the White House triggered immediate security protocols.
In a response via his social media platform, Trump called the attacker an “animal” and vowed they would “pay a very steep price,” while urging support for the National Guard.
Trump requested 500 more National Guard troops to reinforce the city after the shooting, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth would later confirm.
Witnesses Describe Panic at the Scene
The gunfire sent crowds scrambling in one of downtown Washington’s busiest commercial corridors. Holiday decorations hung above the park as people fled in confusion.
One witness, Mike Ryan, 55, said he was walking to get lunch when he heard a burst of what sounded like gunfire. He retreated half a block, then heard another round. When he returned, he saw two injured soldiers on the ground while others restrained a person nearby.
Another bystander, Emma McDonald, described one of the wounded soldiers being placed onto a stretcher as emergency responders worked in urgent efforts to stabilize him.
National Guard Presence Has Increased in Recent Months
Since August, National Guard troops have been stationed across Washington as part of a controversial deployment ordered by Trump focused on immigration and crime enforcement in Democratic-led cities. On Wednesday, about 2,200 Guard members from several states — among them Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi, West Virginia, Georgia, and more — were on patrol in the capital.
Trump has claimed repeatedly that the troop presence has greatly reduced crime in D.C., though the policy has faced some pushback from local leaders and civil rights advocates. Investigation Ongoing Authorities said the investigation was in its early stages, and federal agencies, including the FBI, the Secret Service, and the Metropolitan Police, were collaborating to uncover the shooter’s motive and whether links may exist.
