FBI identifies Washington shooter: he turned out to be Afghan citizen
Photo: the suspect is preliminarily identified as a 29-year-old citizen of Afghanistan (Getty Images)
On Wednesday, 26 November, a man opened fire on two US National Guard soldiers just two blocks from the White House. He appears to be a citizen of Afghanistan, according to CNN and CBS News.
According to CNN, the FBI believes it has identified the suspect who opened fire on the US National Guard servicemen.
Sources said the initial identification matches a man from the state of Washington who appears to have immigrated from Afghanistan in August 2021.
One law enforcement official added that authorities took the fingerprints of the detained man, which allowed them to obtain an initial name. However, investigators are still working on additional confirmation.
Meanwhile, CBS also reports that the suspect is a 29-year-old citizen of Afghanistan. Moreover, the outlet clarified his name - the alleged shooter is Rahmanullah Lakanwal.
According to two sources, the man used a handgun for the attack.
What happened earlier
On Wednesday afternoon in Washington, D.C., two US National Guard servicemen were injured in an attack.
The shooting occurred near Farragut Metro Station, just a few blocks from the White House, at the intersection of 17th Street and I Street NW. The suspect was detained, and CNN reported that he had also been wounded.
Following the incident, FBI Director Kash Patel reported that both Guardsmen were in critical condition. Earlier, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey stated that the soldiers had died, but later retracted his statement, citing "conflicting reports."
US President Donald Trump has already responded to the incident. In his social-media post, he wrote that the "animal" who opened fire on the Guardsmen will be punished.
