DC National Guard Members Remain Critical After Targeted Ambush by Afghan National

nearly 16 hours after a brazen daylight ambush in downtown Washington, D.C., the two National Guard members shot near the White House remain in critical condition, fighting for their lives at a local trauma center. Despite earlier conflicting reports regarding their status, officials confirm that both service members are alive but facing severe injuries following the attack at 17th and I Street NW.
Police have identified the gunman as a 29-year-old Afghan national who arrived in the United States under the 2021 resettlement program, “Operation Allies Welcome.” According to investigators, the suspect walked up to the uniformed soldiers and opened fire at close range in what authorities are now treating as a targeted attack on service members, rather than an act of random violence.
The immediate aftermath saw a courageous response from fellow Guard members stationed nearby, who tackled and subdued the shooter before police arrived. The suspect was injured during the struggle and remains hospitalized in police custody.
While the city remains on high alert and the White House perimeter is fortified, federal investigators have not yet released a confirmed motive. There has been no briefing detailing why an evacuee—vetted during the chaotic withdrawal from Kabul—would target the very military forces of his host nation. For now, the focus remains on the two soldiers fighting to survive.