Source HT
WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that the two West Virginia National Guard soldiers who were shot Wednesday near the White House have “come through surgery.”
The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon near 17th and I Streets NW — just blocks from the White House perimeter — as the guardsmen were patrolling the area. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was taken into custody and is reported to have non–life-threatening injuries.
Bondi added that charges against the suspect will depend on the “prognosis” of the wounded soldiers. She vowed that if the worst happens, prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
According to law-enforcement officials, the rare shooting of National Guard members on American soil has sparked a broader debate over the presence of troops in Washington — especially given that the guard deployment has been a focal point of legal and political controversy.
As investigations continue, federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are probing the shooter’s motive and background.
