Two West Virginia Nationwide Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital have been shot Wednesday afternoon simply blocks from the White Home in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a focused assault.FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser mentioned they have been hospitalized in important situation.The uncommon capturing of Nationwide Guard members, on the day earlier than Thanksgiving, comes because the presence of the troops within the nation’s capital and different cities across the nation has been a flashpoint difficulty for months, fueling court docket fights and a broader public coverage debate concerning the Trump administration’s use of the army to fight what officers solid as an out-of-control crime downside.A suspect who was in custody additionally was shot and had wounds that weren’t believed to be life-threatening, based on a legislation enforcement official who was not licensed to debate the matter publicly and spoke to AP on situation of anonymity.The 29-year-old suspect, an Afghan nationwide, entered the U.S. in 2021 via Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of hundreds of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the nation, officers mentioned.The initiative introduced roughly 76,000 folks to the U.S., a lot of whom had labored alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators. It has since confronted intense scrutiny from Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans and a few authorities watchdogs over gaps within the vetting course of and the velocity of admissions, whilst advocates say it supplied a lifeline to folks susceptible to Taliban reprisals.The suspect, who has been residing in Washington state, has been recognized by legislation enforcement officers as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, however authorities have been nonetheless working to totally affirm his background, two legislation enforcement officers and an individual aware of the matter mentioned. The folks couldn’t talk about particulars of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Related Press on situation of anonymity.Lakamal arrived in Bellingham, Washington, about 79 miles north of Seattle, along with his spouse and 5 youngsters, mentioned his former landlord Kristina Widman.Wednesday evening, in a video message launched on social media, President Donald Trump referred to as for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered below the Biden administration.“If they’ll’t love our nation, we don’t need them,” he mentioned, including that the capturing was “against the law towards our complete nation.”Jeffery Carroll, an govt assistant D.C. police chief, mentioned investigators had no data on a motive. He mentioned the assailant “got here across the nook” and instantly began firing on the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.“This was a focused capturing,” Bowser mentioned.West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially mentioned the troops had died, however he later walked that assertion again to say his workplace was “receiving conflicting stories” about their situation.The Trump administration shortly ordered 500 extra Nationwide Guard members to Washington. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned Trump requested him to ship the troops.Almost 2,200 troops are at present assigned to the joint activity power working within the metropolis, based on the federal government’s newest replace. Troops held down the shooterThe capturing occurred roughly two blocks northwest of the White Home close to a metro station. Listening to gunfire, different troops within the space ran over and held down the gunman after he was shot, Carroll mentioned.”It seems to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the Nationwide Guard,” Carroll mentioned, including that it was not clear whether or not one of many guard members or a legislation enforcement officer shot the suspect.”At this level now we have no different suspects,” Carroll mentioned at a information convention.At the very least one of many guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, mentioned one other legislation enforcement official who was not licensed to debate the matter publicly and spoke on situation of anonymity.Social media video shared within the instant aftermath confirmed first responders performing CPR on one of many troops and treating the opposite on a glass-covered sidewalk.Witnesses noticed folks fleeingStacy Walters mentioned she was in a automobile when she heard two gunshots and noticed folks working. Nearly immediately, legislation enforcement swarmed the realm. “It’s such a phenomenal day. Who would do that? And we’re preparing for the vacations?”Emma McDonald, who exited a metro station simply after the pictures have been fired, mentioned she and a pal sought security with others in a restaurant. McDonald instructed AP that minutes later, she noticed first responders rolling a stretcher carrying a Nationwide Guard member whose head was coated in blood.Police tape cordoned off the scene, and hearth and police automobile lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Brokers from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives have been there, and Nationwide Guard troops stood sentry close by. At the very least one helicopter landed on the Nationwide Mall.“I feel it’s a somber reminder that troopers, whether or not they’re lively obligation, reserve or Nationwide Guard, our troopers are the sword and the protect of the USA of America,” Vice President JD Vance mentioned in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the place he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the Nationwide Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to spend the vacation with troops at Guantanamo Bay in an effort to journey to D.C. and be with guard members there as a substitute.Military Secretary Dan Driscoll mentioned on social media that he visited the wounded Nationwide Guard members within the hospital and that his “coronary heart breaks for them.”Trump vows that shooter will payTrump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the native police power and despatched in Nationwide Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, however the troops remained.Final week a federal choose ordered an finish to the deployment, however she additionally put her order on maintain for 21 days to permit the administration time to both take away the troops or enchantment.Video beneath: President Donald Trump condemned Wednesday’s Nationwide Guard capturing as a “heinous assault”The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, prepare stations and different places, participated in freeway checkpoints and been assigned to select up trash and guard sports activities occasions.Greater than 300 West Virginia Nationwide Guard members have been deployed in August. About 160 of them volunteered final week to increase their deployment till the top of the yr, whereas the others returned residence simply over every week in the past.___Associated Press journalists Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Safiyah Riddle, Matt Brown, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker, Jesse Bedayn, Evan Vucci, Nathan Ellgren, John Raby, Hallie Golden, Michael R. Sisak and John Seewer contributed.