FBI Launches Terrorism Investigation After Afghan National Ambushes National Guard Soldiers Near White House

The FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that investigators are examining any connections the suspect may have maintained, both domestically and internationally.

On Thursday, the FBI announced the commencement of a comprehensive terrorism investigation following what officials described as an "ambush style" attack near the White House, where a gunman shot two National Guard soldiers repeatedly with a revolver.

The young service members, shot on Wednesday, remain in critical condition, casting a shadow over what is typically a peaceful Thanksgiving holiday for Americans spending time with loved ones.

Authorities identified the shooter as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan during the conflict with the Taliban. He relocated to the United States after the Islamist group regained control in 2021 amid the chaotic American withdrawal.

The assailant currently faces charges of assault with intent to kill, with Jean Pirro, US Attorney for the District of Columbia, stating at a news conference that he will face first-degree murder charges should the guardsmen not survive.

"You picked the wrong target, the wrong city and the wrong country," Pirro declared firmly.

"It is an ongoing investigation of terrorism," FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized during the same press briefing.

Patel explained that officials are thoroughly investigating any associates connected to the suspect, both in his homeland and within the United States.

"That is what a broad-based international terrorism investigation looks like," Patel elaborated.

Officials reported that Lakanwal, armed with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver, orchestrated a deliberate ambush on the two National Guard members.

The soldiers were deployed to Washington as part of President Donald Trump's controversial utilization of military forces in Democrat-governed cities to combat what he characterizes as widespread violent crime.

According to Pirro, the shooter approached the soldiers near a subway station in close proximity to the White House and began firing "without provocation, ambush style."

"One guardsman is struck, goes down, and then the shooter leans over and strikes the guardsman again," Pirro detailed. "Fellow guardsmen who were there responded, immediately, engaging the suspect, neutralizing the threat and subduing him at the scene."