WASHINGTON — Two National Guard soldiers were shot Wednesday in a daytime shooting just blocks from the White House, prompting a security lockdown in the heart of the nation’s capital.
The shooting occurred shortly after 2 p.m. at the intersection of 17th and H Streets NW, near the Farragut West Metro station, an area crowded with federal office workers, tourists, and commuters. Authorities said a gunman opened fire on the uniformed soldiers, striking both.
There have been conflicting reports saying that both soldiers were killed.
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the soldiers and the suspect to nearby hospitals. One of the soldiers was shot in the head. The New York Post initially reported that both soldiers were killed.
The Metropolitan Police Department said the immediate area was secured and there was no ongoing threat to the public. Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Joint DC Task Force, responded to the scene. Streets around the White House and Farragut Square were temporarily closed as investigators processed evidence and interviewed witnesses.
President Donald Trump, who is spending the Thanksgiving holiday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, was briefed on the shooting and later issued a statement condemning the attack and praising the National Guard and law enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a social-media post that her department was coordinating with local and federal partners to gather more information.
