What is known about the National Guard shooting in Washington DC
What is known about the National Guard shooting in Washington, DC
Only a few blocks from the White House in Washington, DC, two National Guard troops were shot and gravely injured.
The suspect, an Afghan national, is being held as they continue to be in serious condition.
President Donald Trump declared that he will send an additional 500 troops into the nation's capital in reaction to the attack.
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What transpired during the gunfire close to the White House?
Two West Virginian National Guard men were shot at close range in the vicinity of Farragut Square in downtown Washington, DC, on Wednesday shortly after 14:00 EST (19:00 GMT).
Near the intersection of 17th and I streets, where a lot of office workers congregate during lunch, the troops had been on a high-visibility patrol.
The soldiers were "ambushed," according to Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll, who also stated that the suspect "came around the corner" and "immediately started firing."
The event was a targeted attack, according to Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Due to the shooting's proximity to the White House, several law enforcement officers were at the site promptly to treat the two victims and capture the gunman.
According to officials on Thursday, the guardsmen were rushed to the hospital and are still in severe condition.
Prior to the US Thanksgiving break, Trump was not at the White House but rather at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.
What information do we have about the suspect?
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was identified as "a criminal alien from Afghanistan" by the Department of Homeland Security.
Law enforcement sources informed CBS News, the BBC's US news partner, that the suspect was shot four times while being apprehended.
According to officials, Mr. Lakanwal, who is 29 years old, is not assisting the authorities.
According to reports, he arrived in the US in 2021.
The suspect, his spouse, and their five kids lived in the state of Washington.
How did he travel to the United States?
According to reports, Mr. Lakanwal arrived in the US in September 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome, an initiative for Afghans that ran under Joe Biden's administration.
This occurred in the aftermath of the US soldiers' disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan.
About 77,000 Afghans entered the US under special immigration safeguards, which were in effect for roughly a year after that pullout, according to estimates from the Congressional Research Service.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated on Thursday that Mr. Lakanwal has ties to US military in Afghanistan. According to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, he was employed by the intelligence organisation.
According to an official who spoke to CBS, Mr. Lakanwal's 2024 asylum application was approved earlier this year.
Trump has declared that the US "must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden" in response to the suspect's ties to Afghanistan.
Additionally, the president halted the processing of all Afghan immigration requests.
What charges is he going to face?
According to US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, Mr. Lakanwal will face three charges of assault with intent to murder while armed.
In addition, he will face charges of possessing a firearm during a violent crime.
If proven guilty of the initial counts, he could spend 15 years in prison.
What is the Trump administration's response?
Trump shared a video of himself speaking from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, just hours after the massacre.
"A crime against humanity" and "act of terror" are how he characterised the incident.
The security men were shot "at point-blank range in a monstrous, ambush-style attack just steps away from the White House" by Mr. Lakanwal, whom the president referred to as a "animal."
Why are soldiers from the National Guard stationed in urban areas?
Trump declared he would send out an extra 500 National Guard members in reaction to the shooting.
Nearly 2,200 National Guard members are presently stationed in the city.
Although they have limited authority because they are unable to enforce the law or make arrests, National Guard troops are a reservist group that can be called upon to function as military forces.
In August, Trump sent troops to the nation's capital to combat what he described as "out of control" crime.
What do we know about the victims?
The victims have be named as Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24.
According to Pirro, they are both West Virginia National Guard members in uniform.
"They were in DC to keep DC safe," she stated during a press conference on Thursday.
Ms. Beckstrom offered to labour in the nation's capitol over the Thanksgiving holiday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Fox News.
"She volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families, yet now their families are in hospital rooms with them while they are fighting for their lives," she continued.
After being shot several times, Ms. Beckstrom and Mr. Wolfe are still in severe condition. They are both no longer undergoing surgery.
Following the National Guard shooting, the US suspends immigration application for Afghans.
Following a shooting near the White House, two National Guard troops are in critical condition.
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