Timeline and maps show how the DC National Guard shooting unfolded
Two National Guards members were shot 1,500 feet from the White House
- The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly drove from Washington state to target the guard members.
- The White House was placed on lockdown, and 500 additional Guard troops will be deployed to the capital.
- The suspect was subdued by other Guardsmen and taken into custody.
Two National Guard members were taken to the hospital in critical condition after they were shot by a lone gunman near the White House in Washington, DC, on Nov. 26, officials said. A suspect is in custody. But soon after, one of the victims, U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died Nov. 27, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” the charges would be upgraded.
The victims, both members of the West Virginia National Guard, were "ambushed" outside a subway station in the heart of the nation's capital, Jeffery Caroll, executive assistant chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters. Mayor Muriel Bowser said it was a "targeted shooting."
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly drove cross-country from Washington state to target the guard members, Pirro told reporters Nov. 27.
2:15 p.m. ET two Guardsmen are shot
Director of FBI Kash Patel stated that the shooting took place at approximately 2:15 p.m. ET at 17th and I Street next to Farragut Square Park, about two blocks from the White House.
Carroll said the suspect came around the corner and opened fire at the National Guardsmen who were also armed. The gunman used a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver, according to Pirro.
"One guardsman is struck, goes down, and then the shooter leans over and strikes the guardsman again. Another guardsman is struck several times," she said.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem released a statement, "Please join me in praying for the two National Guardsmen who were just shot moments ago in Washington D.C.," Noem said, adding that her department is working with local law enforcement to gather more information.
The injured members were identified Nov. 27 as 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe. The troops were part of a "high-visibility patrol" officials said.
Attack near the Farragut West Metro station
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was shot moments after the attack near the Farragut West Metro station and was hospitalized in serious condition. The motive behind the deadly shooting is currently unknown.
Moments after 2:15 p.m. ET the White House is placed on lockdown
Due to the close proximity of the shooting, the White House, which is less than 1,500 feet away, was placed on lockdown. President Donald Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, for the Thanksgiving holiday. In a social media post, Trump called the suspect an "animal," and the Pentagon announced plans to deploy 500 additional Guard troops to the capital in response to the shooting.
Approximately 2:16 p.m. suspect in custody
Carroll said after a “back-and-forth exchange,” other Guardsmen were able to subdue and detain the shooter. The suspect was shot during the interaction and later taken to a local hospital he said.By 2:58 p.m., the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department reported that the scene had been secured and one suspect was in custody.
The shooting comes as thousands of troops have been deployed for months across Washington, DC, as part of Trump's initiative to address the administration's claim of rising crime in the nation’s capital.
Who is the suspect in the DC National Guard shooting?
Lakanwal, 29, had been living in Washington state, according to the Justice Department and Homeland Security.
"He drove his vehicle across country, from the state of Washington, with the intended target of coming to our nation's capital," Pirro said at a Nov. 27 news conference.
Lakanwal came to the U.S. in 2021 on a special Biden-era visa program for Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the Afghanistan war and were vulnerable to reprisals from the ruling Taliban after the U.S. withdrawal, an official told Reuters.
CBS, ABC and Fox News reported that Lakanwal was granted asylum by the Trump administration in April.
“It’s too soon to say what the motive is, but there are definitely areas that we are looking into, but not ready to say,” Pirro said.
Investigators searched the suspect's Bellingham, Washington, home and interviewed tenants for more information, according to Patel. Patel also said interviews were taking place in San Diego, but declined to provide further details.
What type of gun was used in the shooting?
The weapon used to shoot the two Guard members a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for DC said said Nov. 27.
The handgun, which was introduced in 1935 after Prohibition, is a six-shooter revolver that fires rounds at a high velocity. The gun became popular with law enforcement officers as they battled organized crime for its stopping power and ability to penetrate vehicles.
CONTRIBUTING Joey Garrison, Davis Winkie, Rebecca Morin, James Powel and Zac Anderson, USA TODAY
This story was updated to add new information.