Two US National Guard soldiers have been shot near the White House, officials said, and police said a suspect was detained in an extraordinary security drama likely to fuel controversy over President Donald Trump's crime crackdown.
Initial reports were that the two soldiers — part of a militarised anti-crime deployment around the United States ordered by Trump — had been badly wounded.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said the soldiers, both deployed to the capital from his state, had "passed away from their injuries," but then said there were "conflicting reports."
It was the most serious incident involving the National Guard since Trump began ordering troops onto the streets of several Democratic-run cities shortly after starting his second term this January.
The Republican, who was at his Florida golf club, described the shooter as an "animal."He said the two soldiers were "critically wounded."
Trump also praised the National Guard and law enforcement, adding that the suspect would face severe consequences.
The suspect "is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Two National Guard soldiers who were shot near the White House are in critical condition, the DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and the FBI Director Kash Patel said.
Bowser said National Guard members were victims of “targeted shooting.”
"What we know... is that this is a targeted shooting. One individual who appeared to target these guardsmen," Bowser said at a press conference. "That individual has been taken into custody."
An AFP reporter near the scene heard several loud pops and saw people running.Dozens of bystanders were caught up in the chaos.
"We heard gunshots. We were waiting at the traffic light and there were several shots," said Angela Perry, 42, who was driving home with her two children.
"You could see National Guard running toward the metro with their weapons drawn."
Soon after the shootings, security agents flooded the area around the Farragut West metro station, two blocks from the White House.
Officers carrying rifles stood guard behind yellow tape at the perimeter of the area and a helicopter circled over the busy downtown.
TRT World witnessed police vans and emergency services heading to the shooting location.
The gun violence happened at the corner of 17th and H Streets in the northwest quadrant of Washington DC, roughly two blocks northwest of the White House
The suspect has injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, AP news agency reported. One National Guard member was shot in the head, according to a person familiar with the details of the incident who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Police tape cordoned off the scene where emergency fire and police vehicles’ lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead.
Agents from the US Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on scene, as National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.
Later, US media outlets reported that the suspect is an Afghan national who entered the US in 2021.
Outlets including NBC and The Washington Post said law enforcement officials and people familiar with the investigation identified the suspect as an Afghan national who had lived in Washington state after arriving in the United States, with NBC reporting the FBI is investigating the attack as a possible act of terrorism.
National Guards in DC
The Federal Aviation Administration reportedly said it had suspended departing flights to Ronald Reagan Airport, which serves the US capital, due to the security situation.
The presence of the National Guard in the nation’s capital has been a flashpoint issue for months, fuelling a court fight and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.
Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalised the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later but the troops remained.
The soldiers have patrolled neighbourhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and also have been assigned to trash pickup and to guard sports events.
Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal the decision.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth meanwhile said that President Trump has asked for 500 additional troops to be deployed to Washington, D.C."This happened just steps from the White House and it will not stand and that's why President Trump has asked me -and I will ask the secretary of the Army to the National Guard- to add 500 additional troops, National Guardsmen, to Washington, D.C.," Hegseth said.
World's most heavily armed society
The US has a highly armed populace.
The country reportedly possesses a notable quantity of firearms, estimated at 500 million, or 1.5 per person, exceeding its population.
Typically, mass shooters acquire weapons legally, frequently handguns or semi-automatic rifles, facilitating swift escalation.
Gun deaths are a political issue, pitting gun control advocates against those protecting their right to bear arms. US has the highest rate of gun deaths for children and teens among peer countries.
 
Despite years of financial difficulties and internal conflict, the National Rifle Association remains the most influential gun lobby in the United States, with a substantial budget to influence members of Congress on gun policy.
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Source: TRT