Amid the shooting of two National Guardsmen near the White House on Wednesday, details are emerging on the suspect who is known to be in police custody.
The suspect was identified was Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a Afghan national. Meanwhile, key details on how the shooting unfolded emerged in reports from Washington DC.
CNN reported, citing three law enforcement sources, that the suspect first approached the guardsmen, appearing to target one of them initially. The first guardsman was shot at from feet away, leaving him critically injured.
The second guardsman sheltered behind a bus stop nearby as the shooter tried to target him. The second guardsman was also shot and critically wounded.
Why Has The Suspect Not Been Identified?
CNN also reported that the suspect has not been cooperating with the investigators after his arrest. The investigators have not found any identification on him at the time of capture, and he himself has not revealed his identity.
Kash Patel Confirms Guardsmen Not Dead
West Virginia Governor, Patrick Morrisey initially said in a Facebook post that the two National Guardsmen were killed in the shooting. However, he later corrected his initial tweet, saying that the National Guardsmen have not passed away.
{{/usCountry}}West Virginia Governor, Patrick Morrisey initially said in a Facebook post that the two National Guardsmen were killed in the shooting. However, he later corrected his initial tweet, saying that the National Guardsmen have not passed away.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: DC shooting video: Exact moment suspect who shot National Guard troops was tackled near White House
Later, FBI Director Kash Patel, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Metropolitan Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carrroll held a press conference where they confirmed that the two guardsmen are in critical condition after the shooting on Wednesday afternoon. Bowser described the shooting of the guardsmen as “targeted”.
In response to the shooting, President Trump has ordered the deployment of 500 more National Guard members in the city, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters.
“This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful,” Hegseth said. “But if criminals want to conduct things like this, violence against America’s best, we will never back down.”