National Guard members wounded in ‘targeted’ attack in Washington, D.C.

Nick Schifrin:

Two National Guardsmen are in critical condition after a shooting near the White House this afternoon. The lone suspect is in police custody. In Washington, D.C., Muriel Bowser spoke about the shooting moments ago.

Muriel Bowser (D), Mayor of Washington, D.C.: This is a targeted shooting. One individual who appeared to target these Guardsmen, that individual has been taken into custody.

Nick Schifrin:

And FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI is assisting in the investigation.

Kash Patel, FBI Director:

We have assembled the full force of both the federal and state and local law enforcement agencies to bring to bear all of our resources to make sure we find the perpetrators responsible for this heinous act. And make no mistake. They will be brought to justice.

Nick Schifrin:

The Guard's presence in the nation's capital has sparked political debate and lawsuits over how the Trump administration has used military resources as part of its efforts to crack down on crime.

Our White House correspondent, Liz Landers, is following the latest developments and joins me now.

Liz, so what do we know?

Liz Landers:

Yes, so the Metropolitan Police chief said that this suspect at around 2:15 this afternoon approached two Guardsmen right outside of the White House, close to an area that is heavily trafficked by pedestrians, raised a weapon and fired directly at these two Guardsmen.

He called it an ambush attack. And he said that the suspect was quickly apprehended, though, because there are so many other law enforcement officers in the area. So other National Guards members came to assist.

I talked to a Secret Service source who said that Secret Service were there within minutes because they are within that purview area as well. So the suspect was quickly apprehended. That person is now in a hospital being treated. The two Guards members who were shot are being treated are in critical condition, as we heard from the FBI director there.

And this is all in an area that is — tons of people are walking around this part of Washington, D.C. This is right near a Metro stop as well. The president is not in Washington, D.C., right now. However, the White House did go into a lockdown briefly, we understand.

And the president tweeted about this today or posted on TRUTH Social, on his social media account, that: "The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless will pay a very steep price."

You heard that from the FBI director, Kash Patel, saying that they're going to bring the fullest extent of the law against this suspect here. And also in response to this, we have heard just in the last few minutes that the secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, says that the president has also asked for 500 additional troops to be deployed to Washington, D.C., after the shooting today.