A violent afternoon unfolded just steps from the White House on Wednesday, when multiple National Guard soldiers were shot in what authorities are calling a “tragic and deeply alarming incident.” The shooting triggered an immediate security lockdown across several downtown blocks and sent Secret Service and federal law enforcement scrambling to secure the president’s residence.
Shortly after the news broke, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced the confirmed death of the two guardsmen, but the information appears to be premature. As with many tragedies, the initial details reported can be faulty.
“It is with great sorrow that we can confirm both members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot earlier today in Washington, DC have passed away from their injuries. These brave West Virginians lost their lives in the service of their country. We are in ongoing contact with federal officials as the investigation continues. Our entire state grieves with their families, their loved ones, and the Guard community. West Virginia will never forget their service or their sacrifice, and we will demand full accountability for this horrific act.”
Eyewitness accounts and early reports indicate that the suspected shooter is already in custody, though officials have not yet released a name or possible motive. Photos circulating online show one Guardsman lying on the pavement as Secret Service agents attempt life-saving first aid, blood visible on the ground beside him. Another soldier, still in uniform, was later photographed on a stretcher inside an ambulance.
Government officials confirmed that two National Guard members remain in critical condition. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged Americans to “pray for the two guardsmen,” adding that her department is coordinating closely with local authorities.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is fully engaged, noting, “The White House is aware and actively monitoring this tragic situation. The President has been briefed.” President Trump was not in Washington at the time; he had left for Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Security presence in Washington, DC has already been elevated for months. Roughly 2,000 National Guard troops—from the District and at least eight additional states—have been deployed since early August as part of what the administration describes as a sweeping crackdown on violent crime. Armed Guard vehicles and patrols have become common sights around the capital’s key federal corridors.
The shooting Wednesday appeared to erupt near Farragut West, according to journalist Mari Otsu, who described the moment online: “I heard multiple shots fired as we passed Farragut West… A member of the National Guard fell while others rushed onto the scene. Area still on lockdown and Secret Service being deployed.”
Within minutes, the vicinity was blanketed with federal and city law enforcement. Ambulances, Secret Service tactical units, and uniformed officers surged into the cordoned-off blocks. Additional National Guard members were seen forming a protective perimeter around the area where their colleagues had been attacked.
An FBI official confirmed that federal agents were en route shortly after the shooting. Witnesses also reported seeing Kash Patel arriving with a sizable security motorcade as the situation unfolded—his role or purpose there, however, has not been publicly clarified.
For now, details remain scarce. Officials have not yet identified the suspect taken into custody, nor have they disclosed whether the Guardsmen were specifically targeted. What is clear is that the nation’s capital—already operating under heightened alert—has been jolted by another unsettling episode of violence painfully close to the seat of American power.
This is a developing story, and updates are expected as federal officials release more information.
BREAKING: Secret Service tells me 2 National Guard members have just been shot near the White House. pic.twitter.com/uGLCAPcDXX
— Mike Carter (@MikeCarterTV) November 26, 2025
