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Pam Bondi shares update on two US National Guard members shot near White House
The two West Virginia National Guard members, who who deployed in Washington, were shot Wednesday afternoon, just blocks from the White House.
United States Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday said that the two National Guard soldiers, who were shot by an Afghan national near the White House, have come through surgery.
Bondi said that the Afghan suspect behind the shooting could face life in prison. Her reaction came after two West Virginia National Guard members, who who deployed in Washington, were shot Wednesday afternoon, just blocks from the White House.
"Right now, we will base our charges based on their prognosis," Bondi told Fox News.
Also Read: Who is Rahmanullah Lakanwal? Afghan man accused of terror act near White House
“They both came through surgery. I'm not going to talk about their conditions right now. Again, we're praying for a recovery for them, but worst case scenario, minimum life in prison with terrorism charges,” she added. FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser earlier said the two guards were hospitalised in critical condition.
Jeanine Pirro, US Attorney for the District of Columbia, said that the two guards were in critical condition and that the suspect was carrying a revolver.
The shooting suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, entered the US after the fall of Kabul in August 2021. He arrived in the US a month later under the US' “Operation Allies Welcome”.
The shooting, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes as the presence of the troops in Washington and other American cities has been a point of contention for months, leading to court fights and a wider debate about the Trump administration's use of the military to combat the crime problem.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, in a video message, called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration.
