Two Nationals Guards in Washington DC shot as suspect arrested

Investigators in the US are looking for clues as to why an Afghan immigrant opened fire on two National Guard soldiers just blocks away from the White House.

The two soldiers, now hospitalised, are part of a militarised law enforcement mission ordered by President Donald Trump months ago. Trump's order was later challenged in court by District of Columbia officials.

This was the scene moments after the shooting of two National Guards just a few blocks away from the White House.

"Looks like two National Guard members have been shot with rapid fire."

"Guys I need everybody to push back please thank you everybody push back."

Law enforcement and National Guard personnel treating the the injured guards on the ground.

One witness described the moment of the shooting. Michael Ryan, a Washington DC resident said: "Definitely sounded like gunfire, and myself and other people ran. We were across the street when that happened so we ran about half a block down."

(Reporter) "What's your thought while you were hearing those shots?"

"Kind of saying 'Are those gun shots? Pretty much."

Security guards from nearby buildings told Ryan it was probably construction noise so he walked back to the scene get lunch, that's when he saw law enforcement officers and guards pinning a suspect to the ground.

"They had somebody pinned down, they were yelling at him to stay down."

The suspect is 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal who entered the US in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration programme that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the US withdrawal from the country.

US President Donald Trump said: "We're not going to put up with these kind of assaults on law and order by people who shouldn't even be in our country. We must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden, and we must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country. If they can't love our country, we don't want them."

The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington DC following the shooting.