National Guard Members Shot Near White House Are in Critical Condition

 Officials called the shooting a targeted attack by a lone gunman, who was identified as a man from Afghanistan by three people familiar with the investigation.

The suspect accused of critically wounding two National Guard members in a shooting near the White House on Wednesday entered the United States in 2021 through a refugee program for people fleeing Afghanistan, officials said.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on social media that the suspect had entered from Afghanistan in September 2021 under a Biden-era program called Operation Allies Welcome, which provided entry to Afghan nationals fleeing the Taliban takeover of their country after the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops.

In a video address, President Trump declared the attack an “act of terror” and vowed to redouble the government’s efforts to deport migrants. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services later announced that it had paused immigration applications from Afghan nationals.

Local officials said the suspect, who was also injured after opening fire in a busy tourist area on the day before Thanksgiving, appeared to have acted alone, targeting members of the West Virginia National Guard.

The suspect was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, by people familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share details publicly.

Here are the details:

• Guard deployments: Mr. Trump, who was in Florida on Wednesday, ordered a deployment of 500 additional troops to Washington to supplement the more than 2,000 already on the ground.

• Witness accounts: The shooting happened near the entrance to the Farragut West metro station, just blocks from the White House. Bystanders reported hearing a short burst of gunfire, followed by a longer barrage.

• Guard reaction: Before the shooting, some officials and National Guard members worried about the safety of troops that had been deployed on the streets of American cities. 

• Federal case: Last week, a federal judge ordered a temporary suspension of Mr. Trump’s highly contentious deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, finding that it was likely illegal. The Trump administration asked for that decision to be blocked after the shooting.