Photo: DREW ANGERER / AFP / Getty Images
Two National Guardsmen were shot in Washington, DC, on Wednesday (November 26), near the White House, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The incident took place in downtown Washington, DC, and the scene has been secured by DC Metropolitan Police, who have taken one suspect into custody. The police have advised the public to avoid the area.
The two Guardsmen reportedly exchanged gunfire with the suspect before being shot. Both soldiers were critically wounded and were hospitalized, while the suspect was also severely injured and transported away from the scene on a stretcher.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially said that the two Guardsmen had died, but retracted that statement a short while later saying his office received "conflicting reports" about the condition of the two men. There current status is unknown.
President Donald Trump, who is currently in Florida, has been briefed on the situation and expressed his support for the National Guard and law enforcement, stating on Truth Social that the suspect "will pay a very steep price."
The shooting occurred at the intersection of 17th and I Streets NW, just a few blocks from the White House. Emergency vehicles, uniformed officers, and agents from the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were present at the scene. A helicopter was also seen landing on the National Mall.
The National Guard has not yet commented on the incident, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear. The story is developing, and further details are expected to emerge.
National Guard troops have been stationed in Washington, DC, as part of President Trump's anti-crime initiative, which began in August. The deployment, which includes troops from multiple states, was recently challenged in court, with a federal judge ruling that the mobilization was illegal. However, the judge did not immediately order the troops to leave the city, allowing time for an appeal.