Two National Guard soldiers critically wounded in shooting near White House; Trump blames Afghan migrant, vows immigration crackdown and deploys more troops
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump identified an Afghan migrant as the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House.
Trump described the daylight attack two blocks from the executive mansion as “an act of terror” in a brief video message.
“This was an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror,” the president stated. “It was a crime against our entire nation.”
He confirmed the detained suspect was “a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan” during the 2021 evacuations following the US withdrawal.
Washington police assistant chief Jeffery Carroll said the gunman “ambushed” the soldiers by emerging from around a corner with a raised firearm.
FBI Director Kash Patel reported both Guards members remained in critical condition following the incident.
Trump earlier declared on social media that the severely wounded suspect “will pay a very steep price.”
An AFP reporter near the scene heard multiple loud pops and observed people fleeing as dozens of bystanders were caught in the chaos.
“We heard gunshots while waiting at the traffic light,” said witness Angela Perry, who was driving home with her children. “You could see National Guard running toward the metro with their weapons drawn.”
Security personnel immediately flooded the area following the shooting, establishing perimeter tape while a helicopter circled overhead.
The incident intensifies focus on Trump’s controversial domestic troop deployments to Democratic-led cities including Washington.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced 500 additional troops would deploy to Washington, bringing the total to 2,500 soldiers.
This expansion comes despite a federal judge ruling last Thursday that Trump’s National Guard deployments in the capital were unlawful.
Trump vowed to “reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan” under the Biden administration.
“We must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien who does not belong here,” he declared. – AFP
