Everything we know about the suspect in National Guard shooting after Trump makes major decision on immigration
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Andrew Leyden/Getty
A suspect has been named after two National Guards were shot near the White House.
News broke on November 26 that 'multiple people' had been shot in Washington DC, sparking the White House to go into lockdown.
It was then confirmed that those who were injured included two guardsmen who were left in critical condition as a result of the shocking incident.
Speaking after the shooting, Jeffrey Carroll, an executive assistant DC police chief, said that investigators had no information on a motive. He also shared that the assailant 'came around the corner' and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.
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"It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard," Carroll added.
Elsewhere, Washington mayor Muriel Bowser said that it was a 'targeted shooting'.
The suspect has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old man from Afghanistan.
Lakanwal was taken into custody after being apprehended by law enforcement yesterday. He's said to have sustained gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital for treatment. The injuries were reportedly non-life threatening.
Two law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that the man is believed to have come to the US in September 2021 and has been living in Washington state.
A relative of Lakanwal's has since spoken to NBC News and said that the 29-year-old had served in the army for 10 years and served alongside US troops.
The relative, who allegedly served alongside Lakanwal, said of their time in the military: "We were the ones that were targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan."
According to the news outlet, Lakanwal grew up in Khost province and was living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children.
Speaking in a video shared on Wednesday evening, Trump, who wasn't in the capital at the time of the shooting, described Afghanistan as 'a hellhole on earth' and that his administration would review everyone who entered from the country under President Joe Biden.
During his remarks, Trump also swung his focus to Minnesota, where he complained about 'hundreds of thousands of Somalians' who are 'ripping apart that once-great state'.
US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) has since announced that it has halted requests from Afghan nationals.
It penned on Twitter: "Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.
"The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission."