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Brazen shooting of two people in broad daylight National Guard A man has been arrested by members in the nation’s capital, officials have said Afghan National raised many questions
It includes the conditions of the injured soldiers and details about the suspect and his motive for the attack the day before Thanksgiving.
Here’s what we know and don’t know so far:
Status of National Guard members
FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser He said two members of the Guard have been admitted to hospital in critical condition.
They belong to the West Virginia National Guard, which deployed hundreds of troops to the nation’s capital as part of President donald trumpAnti-crime mission that included taking over the local police department.
There were approximately 2,200 Guard members in DC for the mission.
The names of the two injured soldiers and further details about them are still unknown.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially posted on social media that two of his state’s Guard members were killed. He later walked back saying that his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about his status. Morrissey did not elaborate.
How did the attack happen?
Bowser called the attack “targeted shooting.”
Acting Assistant D.C. Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll said the attacker “came around the corner” in the video reviewed by investigators and immediately began firing at the troopers. According to a law enforcement official, the suspect opened fire with a revolver.
At least one Guard member exchanged fire with the shooter, another law enforcement official said. Both were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Troopers ran over and caught the attacker and he was taken into custody, Carroll said. Authorities believe he was the sole gunman.
Carroll said it was unclear whether any of the Guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect and that investigators do not yet have any information about a motive.
One of the officers said the suspect’s wounds were not considered life-threatening.
The suspect and his way to America
Two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the case told The Associated Press that the suspect is believed to be a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021 and is living in Washington state.
Officials said he came to the US through Operation Ally’s Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled thousands of Afghans following the US’s chaotic withdrawal from the country.
He said law enforcement has identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities are still working to fully confirm his background. The people could not discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
According to his former landlord Christina Widman, Lakmal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children about four years ago.
They were among about 800 Afghan refugees who settled in Washington state under Operation Ally’s Welcome with financial assistance from the US government. Among those partnering with federal agencies to sponsor Afghan families was World Relief, a faith-based group that helped refugees find housing, job training and language classes as they settled in the Seattle area.
It is unclear how Lakanwal would have traveled to the country’s capital, which is approximately 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) away.
more national guard troops
Immediately after the shooting, Trump said he would send 500 more National Guard troops to Washington, DC. It is not clear where the additional troops will come from.
In early November, the DC National Guard had the largest numbers on the ground with 949. In addition to West Virginia, troops from Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama were also in the capital earlier this month.
A federal judge last week ordered an end to the Guard deployment, but put his order on hold for 21 days to give the Trump administration time to remove the troops or appeal.
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Associated Press journalists Alana Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker, Michael R. Sisak, Mike Balsamo, Michael Biesecker and Jesse Bedayan contributed to this report.