The White House and several nearby government buildings were placed on lockdown on Wednesday following a shooting near the presidential residence that left two National Guard members critically wounded.
Local officials said the soldiers were shot by an unidentified gunman close to a security perimeter in central Washington, D.C. The incident triggered an immediate security freeze across federal facilities in the area.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially announced that the two service members had been killed. However, he later clarified that he was receiving “conflicting reports” about their condition.
“We are now receiving conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members and will provide additional updates once we receive more complete information,” Morrisey said on X. “Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the entire Guard community.”
At the time of the attack, President Donald Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president had been briefed and was “actively monitoring the situation.”
D.C.’s Metropolitan Police confirmed that a suspect had been taken into custody shortly after the shooting. Authorities have not released further details about the gunman’s identity or motive.
National Guard troops have been deployed across Washington, D.C. for months as part of Trump’s intensified anti-crime crackdown in the capital.
Reacting through a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen… will pay a very steep price.”
He added that both soldiers were in separate hospitals and were “critically wounded.”
The shooting has raised renewed security concerns around federal buildings in Washington, with investigators working to determine how the gunman reached the area and whether the attack was targeted.
Officials have urged the public to avoid the affected zone as emergency operations continue.