Headline Roundup • November 27th, 2025
Two National Guard Troops Shot and Killed in DC, Suspect Named as Afghan Asylum Seeker
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Two National Guard members were shot on Wednesday roughly two blocks from the White House and taken to the hospital in critical condition and announced dead on Thursday.
The Suspect: The suspect was named as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the US in 2021 as under the Biden Administration's Operation Allies Welcome program for Afghans. Lakanwal was reportedly hospitalized after another National Guard member shot his and is not cooperating with authorities. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Lakanwal applied for asylum with citizenship in 2024 and his application was granted in 2025, though his green card is pending.
Key Quotes: A motive hasn't been released as of early Thursday, but DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said that it was a "targeted shooting." In a Truth Social post, Trump called the shooter an "animal" who "will pay a very steep price." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters, "This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, DC, safe and beautiful."
For Context: Several government buildings were reportedly locked down after the shooting and flights into DC were temporarily paused. Following the shootings, President Trump ordered 500 National Guard troops deployed to Washington DC. Early Thursday the Trump administration suspended immigration applications for Afghans. There are currently around 2,200 National Guard troops deployed to DC as part of the Trump administration's effort to crack down on crime. In November, the DC Metropolitan Police reported a 28% decrease in violent crime between 2024 and 2025.
How the Media Covered It: Initial reports presented conflicting coverage of the status of both guard members. Axios (Lean Left) emphasized the additional deployment of troops signals "no end in sight" for DC's ongoing National Guard presence. It outlined a timeline of controversy surrounding the deployments, leaving coverage of the shooting at the bottom of the article. Separate Fox News (Right) reports described "chaos" at the scene after the shooting, highlighted ongoing law enforcement security measures, and quoted a former NYPD inspector who said the shooter could face terrorism charges. Wall Street Journal (Center) detailed the shooting and noted ongoing legal challenges to the troop deployment in DC.
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Featured Coverage of this Story
Joshua Jamerson/WSJ
Two members of the National Guard have been shot in Washington, D.C., near the White House and are in critical condition, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
'The Five' weighs in on the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., which authorities are calling 'targeted.'
Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President Trump wants to send an additional 500 National Guard to Washington, D.C., after two Guard members were shot just blocks from the White House Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
