Federal investigators led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force are searching for answers after an Afghan immigrant opened fire on two National Guard soldiers just blocks from the White House in what officials described as an “ambush” attack on Thanksgiving eve.
The two soldiers, part of a militarized law enforcement operation deployed under President Donald Trump, were hospitalized in critical condition following the shooting, authorities said. The operation itself has faced legal challenges from officials in the District of Columbia, who have argued it infringes on local control.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified the suspected shooter as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who was wounded during an exchange of gunfire before being arrested.
Trump Condemns Attack, Orders Immigration Review
President Trump, who was at his Palm Beach resort in Florida at the time, released a recorded statement late Wednesday condemning the shooting as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.” He added that his administration would “re-examine all Afghans who came to the U.S. during Joe Biden’s presidency.”
Shortly afterward, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had indefinitely halted processing of all immigration requests related to Afghan nationals, citing a “review of security and vetting protocols.”
According to DHS, Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era resettlement program that assisted Afghans who had supported U.S. forces during the war and were at risk after the Taliban’s takeover.
NBC News, citing an interview with a relative, reported that Lakanwal served for 10 years in the Afghan army, working alongside U.S. Special Forces and spending part of his service in Kandahar. The relative said Lakanwal had been employed by Amazon the last time they spoke several months ago.
A Trump administration official, speaking anonymously, said Lakanwal applied for asylum in December 2024 and was granted approval on April 23, 2025, three months after Trump returned to office. The official added that Lakanwal, who lived in Washington State, had no prior criminal history.
Shooting Near the White House
The midday shooting occurred outside a subway station in a busy downtown area just blocks from the White House. The Secret Service placed the presidential compound on lockdown as a precaution.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later said Trump had ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to be deployed to the capital, joining the more than 2,000 troops already stationed there.
Vice President JD Vance, speaking from Kentucky, posted on X that the incident validated the administration’s immigration policies. “We must redouble our efforts to deport people with no right to be in our country,” he wrote.
Critics, however, accused the Trump administration of weaponizing immigration enforcement and using “illegally harsh” tactics that sweep up both legal residents and individuals without criminal records.
Officials Describe ‘Targeted Ambush’
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has frequently clashed with Trump over the troop deployment, said at a news briefing that “this is a targeted shooting.”
At the same briefing, Jeff Carroll, executive assistant chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, said the two West Virginia National Guard members were “ambushed.” He explained that the soldiers were conducting a “high-visibility patrol” near a subway entrance when Lakanwal allegedly “came around the corner, drew a weapon, and immediately fired at the pair.”
After an exchange of gunfire, other Guard members subdued and detained the suspect, Carroll said.
Legal and Political Fallout
The attack came just five days after a federal judge temporarily blocked the National Guard from performing law enforcement duties in Washington without the mayor’s approval. The judge, however, stayed the order until December to allow the Trump administration to appeal.
President Trump has defended his deployment of troops to Democratic-led cities — including Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Memphis — arguing that a federal security presence is needed to combat crime and illegal immigration.
Democratic mayors and civil rights advocates, however, accuse the White House of staging “militarized shows of force” to punish political opponents and intimidate local governments.
