There was a major shooting targeting National Guard troops in central Washington, DC this week.

Key incident

• Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot near Farragut Square, just a few blocks from the White House, around mid‑afternoon on Wednesday.

• Officials describe it as an ambush-style, targeted attack on uniformed Guard members who were on patrol as part of a federal anti-crime deployment in the city.

Victims and suspect

• Both Guardsmen are reported to be in critical condition in hospital, with senior officials and military leaders publicly calling for prayers and support for their families.

• Police say a lone suspect was shot, taken into custody at the scene, and identified by multiple officials as an Afghan national who entered the US in 2021; investigators currently treat him as the sole attacker.

Location and security response

• The shooting happened around 17th Street and I Street NW, near the Farragut West Metro station, in a busy downtown area filled with offices, shops, and tourists close to the White House.

• Authorities locked down the area, reviewed surveillance footage, and stated there is no evidence of additional suspects, though security has been visibly heightened and more Guard troops have been requested for DC.

Political reaction

• President Donald Trump condemned the shooting as an act of terror and a crime against the nation, linking it to broader debates over immigration and the legality of his National Guard deployment in DC.

• DC officials and a recent federal court ruling had already criticized that deployment as overreach, and this attack has intensified arguments over federal authority, local control, and the risks faced by deployed Guard troops.