Date: 27 November 2025
FBI investigators say they are probing what drove an Afghan immigrant to ambush and shoot two United States National Guard (US National Guard) members just blocks from the White House in Washington, DC — an attack described by U.S. authorities as a “targeted ambush” and now being treated as an act of terrorism.
According to law-enforcement officials, the suspect — identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national — allegedly opened fire on the two soldiers while they patrolled near a subway entrance in a downtown corridor. The attack unfolded rapidly: the gunman reportedly fired a .357-Magnum revolver at point-blank range at the Guard members before he was overpowered and taken into custody.
Law enforcement remains tight-lipped about a motive, even as they expand the investigation nationwide. Agents have executed search warrants, including a raid on the suspect’s home in Washington state, and seized multiple electronic devices for forensic examination.
In an official press briefing, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) leadership described the shooting as an “ambush-style targeted attack,” and affirmed the case is being handled by a joint terrorism task force.
In response to the shooting, the U.S. government announced sweeping measures: the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it will indefinitely suspend processing immigration requests from Afghan nationals as authorities reassess vetting protocols.
President Donald Trump condemned the shooting as “an act of evil, hatred and terror,” pledging a full crackdown on immigration flows and a comprehensive review of asylum approvals.
As the investigation continues, key questions remain unanswered: whether the shooter targeted the Guard members specifically or was acting under broader ideological or personal motives; whether any accomplices exist; and whether systemic failures in the immigration screening process played a role. Dalena Reporters will continue monitoring developments and report on court filings, federal security briefings, and any related legislative responses to this major national security incident.