A gunman shot two National Guard soldiers on Wednesday in a targeted attack just a few blocks from the White House. Both soldiers remain in critical condition.

Attack happened in a busy area

The shooting took place around 2:15 pm near the crowded Farragut Metro stop. This area stays packed with office workers and commuters. Officials said the gunman fired 10 to 15 shots. Police confirmed they have arrested the suspect.

Police call it an ambush

National Guard members were on “high visibility patrols” when the attacker approached them. Jeff Carroll, Executive Assistant Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, said the suspect walked around a corner, raised a gun, and opened fire.

“We have reviewed video from the area. It appears, like I said, to be a lone gunman that raised the firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard, and he was quickly taken into custody by other National Guard members and law enforcement members,” Carroll told CBS News.

Other Guard members nearby rushed to help.

“There were other National Guard members that were in the area. They were able to, after some back and forth, able to subdue the individual and bring him into custody,” Carroll said.

Police believe the gunman acted alone. They are checking all details about the suspect and his possible connections.

Government sends more National Guard forces

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the government will send 500 more National Guard personnel to Washington DC. Critics have already questioned the administration’s use of the Guard in cities. Many see it as political pressure or intimidation.

Trump calls it an act of terror

Trump addressed the nation from the White House after the attack. He said the shooter was an Afghan national who entered the US in 2021. Trump also called the shooting an act of terror.

The New York Times reported that the suspect is 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal. He arrived in the United States through Operation Allies Welcome, a programme that helped Afghans fleeing the Taliban takeover.

CBS News reported that officers shot the suspect four times before detaining him. He is now in a hospital under police custody. NBC News sources said both National Guard soldiers were shot in the head.