A suspect has been identified in connection to the shooting of two National Guards near the White House last Wednesday.
On November 26, reports emerged that several people had been shot in Washington DC, leading to a security lockdown at the White House.
Authorities later confirmed that the victims included two guardsmen who were critically injured in the attack.
Jeffrey Carroll, an executive assistant DC police chief, stated that investigators have yet to determine a motive for the shooting. According to Carroll, the shooter suddenly appeared and opened fire on the troops, as seen in video footage reviewed by the investigators.
“It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll elaborated.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser also described the incident as a ‘targeted shooting’.
The individual identified as the suspect is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national.
Lakanwal was taken into custody by law enforcement officials after the incident. He suffered gunshot wounds and was hospitalized for treatment, although his injuries were not life-threatening.
Two sources from law enforcement informed the Associated Press that Lakanwal arrived in the United States in September 2021 and had been residing in Washington state.
An NBC News interview with a relative of Lakanwal revealed that he had served in the military for a decade, working alongside US forces.
The relative, who reportedly served with Lakanwal, commented on their military service: “We were the ones that were targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan.”
According to reports, Lakanwal was raised in Khost province and was living with his wife and five children in Bellingham, Washington.
In a video address on Wednesday evening, Trump, who was not present in the capitol during the shooting, referred to Afghanistan as ‘a hellhole on earth.’ He stated that his administration would reassess the vetting process for individuals entering from Afghanistan under President Biden.
Trump also shifted his attention to Minnesota, expressing concerns about the impact of large numbers of Somali immigrants on the state.
Following the incident, US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) declared that it has suspended processing requests from Afghan nationals.
The agency announced on Twitter: “Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.
“The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission.”