Two West Virginia National Guardsmen Remain in Critical Condition After Washington D.C. Shooting
A shooting near the White House has left two West Virginia National Guardsmen fighting for their lives, bringing a new level of concern to the nation's capital amidst a contentious deployment of troops ordered by the Trump administration.
According to officials, the incident was deemed "targeted" and identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the US on a Biden-era policy allowing Afghans to enter the country after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The suspect is currently in custody, but not before allegedly shooting two National Guardsmen near the Farragut West metro station.
In a video posted on the White House's X account, Donald Trump criticized the program that allowed Lakanwal into the country, calling it "a hellhole on earth" and labeling the suspect an "animal." He also claimed that this attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing the nation, and called for an investigation into all Afghans who entered the US under similar programs.
The shooting has sent shockwaves through Washington D.C., with a taskforce of over 2,375 National Guardsmen currently deployed in the city, with West Virginia making up the second-largest contingent. The deployment was ordered by Trump's administration amidst controversy over the use of federal power to enforce local law and order.
Earlier in the day, Governor Patrick Morrisey sparked confusion when he announced that both soldiers had been killed, only to later correct himself after posting an update clarifying that more information was needed. Trump has since filed an emergency motion asking a federal appeals court to allow the National Guard to remain in Washington, which could be decided by December 11.
The incident has drawn criticism from former President Barack Obama, who condemned the shooting on social media and expressed his support for the servicemen shot. The Guardian's Washington office was placed under lockdown as law enforcement officers ordered staff to stay away from glass doors adjoining the square.
As the situation unfolds, concerns about the use of federal power and national security remain at the forefront. With multiple states initially deploying National Guardsmen to support federal and local law enforcement before reversing plans to do so, this incident raises questions about the role of the military in enforcing domestic policy.
A shooting near the White House has left two West Virginia National Guardsmen fighting for their lives, bringing a new level of concern to the nation's capital amidst a contentious deployment of troops ordered by the Trump administration.
According to officials, the incident was deemed "targeted" and identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the US on a Biden-era policy allowing Afghans to enter the country after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The suspect is currently in custody, but not before allegedly shooting two National Guardsmen near the Farragut West metro station.
In a video posted on the White House's X account, Donald Trump criticized the program that allowed Lakanwal into the country, calling it "a hellhole on earth" and labeling the suspect an "animal." He also claimed that this attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing the nation, and called for an investigation into all Afghans who entered the US under similar programs.
The shooting has sent shockwaves through Washington D.C., with a taskforce of over 2,375 National Guardsmen currently deployed in the city, with West Virginia making up the second-largest contingent. The deployment was ordered by Trump's administration amidst controversy over the use of federal power to enforce local law and order.
Earlier in the day, Governor Patrick Morrisey sparked confusion when he announced that both soldiers had been killed, only to later correct himself after posting an update clarifying that more information was needed. Trump has since filed an emergency motion asking a federal appeals court to allow the National Guard to remain in Washington, which could be decided by December 11.
The incident has drawn criticism from former President Barack Obama, who condemned the shooting on social media and expressed his support for the servicemen shot. The Guardian's Washington office was placed under lockdown as law enforcement officers ordered staff to stay away from glass doors adjoining the square.
As the situation unfolds, concerns about the use of federal power and national security remain at the forefront. With multiple states initially deploying National Guardsmen to support federal and local law enforcement before reversing plans to do so, this incident raises questions about the role of the military in enforcing domestic policy.
I'm really worried about these two West Virginia National Guardsmen 
still fighting for their lives. It's crazy that they're in critical condition after a shooting near the White House 
. Anyone else think it's super concerning that the suspect had entered the US under a Biden-era policy? 
The fact that Trump is making such a big deal about it and labeling the suspect an "animal" just makes me think he's not being very responsible 
. As a parent, I just want to know if my child (or anyone's child) is safe in this situation 
. It's also really disturbing that Trump is asking for an investigation into all Afghans who came in under similar programs... what's next? 
omg what's going on here?! 
two west virginia national guardsmen shot and critically injured by some dude who entered the country through a program for afghan refugees 
sounds like a whole lot of red tape to me 
shouldn't we be focusing on solving the real issues instead of deploying troops over this? 
also what's with trump's reaction 
calling it "a hellhole on earth" is one thing but saying it's the single greatest national security threat? 
. And what's with this program allowing Afghans to enter the country? Can't we just have a civil conversation about this stuff instead of throwing around hate words and accusations? 
.
I was trying to follow along with this news story, but it's like they're intentionally making it hard to read 
And don't even get me started on the formatting... who thought it was a good idea to use these tiny little paragraphs that make you have to click on them to read the whole thing? 
. but like what's the deal with trump wanting to keep all these national guardsmen in washington? 
isn't that kinda excessive? 
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we can't just let one person's actions dictate our policies 
wouldn't you want someone to help them? 
. From Governor Morrisey announcing that two soldiers were killed (only to correct himself later) to Trump going on a full-blown attack on Afghan policy, it's just a perfect storm of chaos and misinformation. Can't we just take a step back and think this through before we start deploying our military like it's nothing? 
