Two National Guard soldiers were seriously injured in a broad daylight shooting in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, just a few blocks from the White House. Both soldiers were immediately transported to a hospital. U.S. President Donald Trump immediately labeled the incident an “act of terrorism.”

​President Trump confirmed that the apprehended attacker is a “foreign national” who arrived in the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021. He denounced the incident as an “act of evil, hate, and terrorism” and demanded a thorough vetting of all individuals who came to the U.S. from Afghanistan under the Biden administration.
​Following the attack, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) indefinitely paused the processing of all immigration applications related to Afghan nationals.

​Mayor Muriel Bowser described it as a “targeted shooting,” stating that an assailant ambushed two patrolling National Guard personnel without warning.
​The wounded include one male and one female National Guard member, and both are in critical condition. The attacker was also injured in the exchange of fire.
​The FBI suspects the attacker has been identified as Rahmatullah Lakhanwal, a 29-year-old who migrated to the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021. Investigators are looking at the incident as a potential act of international terrorism.

​President Trump has ordered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to immediately deploy an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington.

​The attack has sparked anxiety within Muslim communities across the U.S. over concerns that it could trigger a backlash against Muslims nationwide. Law enforcement officials have urged the public to refrain from jumping to conclusions at this time.