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Two West Virginia National Guard troops were critically wounded in a targeted ambush shooting near the White House on Wednesday afternoon, marking a violent escalation in the nation’s capital as military personnel patrol under President Trump’s crime crackdown initiative. The attack occurred around 2:15 p.m. outside the Farragut West Metro station at 17th and I streets Northwest, just two blocks from the White House.
According to D.C. police, a lone gunman rounded a corner and immediately opened fire on the National Guard troops without warning. Law enforcement officers at the scene returned fire, wounding the suspect, who was taken into custody. Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department confirmed all three wounded individuals were transported to a hospital, where the two guardsmen remained in critical condition. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser characterized the incident as “a targeted shooting,” though authorities said they had no established motive and no additional suspects.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially reported the troops had died but later retracted his statement, citing “conflicting reports” about their condition. He requested prayers for the service members, their families, and the Guard community. The suspected gunman has not been publicly identified.
President Trump, who was in Florida during the attack, condemned the shooter as an “animal” and vowed the assailant would “pay a very steep price.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced 500 additional National Guard troops would be deployed to Washington following the shooting. Speaking from the Dominican Republic, Hegseth declared the attack would “only stiffen our resolve” to make the capital safe, calling the wounded troops “heroes” willing to serve people they had never met.
The National Guard has maintained a presence in Washington since August as part of Trump’s crime initiative.
More than 2,000 troops from eight states—West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, and South Dakota—are currently stationed in the city, with orders extending through at least February. These troops patrol the National Mall, subway stations, and parks, freeing local police for other duties. The deployment has coincided with decreased crime reports in some major categories.
Army Brigadier General Leland D. Blanchard authorized deployed Guard troops to carry M-17 pistols for personal protection in August, a decision made after careful security assessment and coordination with law enforcement partners.
A federal judge recently ruled the Guard deployment violated law by proceeding without city approval, though that decision is currently on hold pending appeal. The White House maintains Trump is acting within lawful authority and remains committed to the deployment. The White House was placed on lockdown following the shooting.
Read more: Two National Guard troops critically wounded in shooting near White House, suspect seized
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