“In Washington, two National Guardsmen were wounded near the White House, the suspect was detained, the investigation is ongoing.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
illustrative photo by Getty mages Source: Reuters
Details: West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a post on X that both victims were National Guardsmen and died of their injuries. The White House reprinted his statement.
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Washington police said one suspect is in custody and the area is secured.
Trump is at his resort in Palm Beach, and US Vice President JD Vance is in Kentucky.
In a social media post, Trump called the shooting suspect an “animal” who was also “severely wounded.” It was unclear how the suspect was wounded, but CNN reported that two guardsmen opened fire on the attacker before they were shot dead.
The shooting happened near Farragut Square, a popular lunch spot for office workers just a few blocks from the White House. The park, whose lanterns are wrapped in wreaths and bows for the holidays, is surrounded by fast food restaurants and cafes, as well as two subway stops.
Stacey Walters, 43, was driving an Uber near the White House at about 2:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. GMT) when she heard two loud explosions and saw small children and other pedestrians running from the scene.
She said she heard someone yell “Help! Help!” and saw what appeared to be Secret Service agents running after someone in a hooded sweatshirt.
The agency notes that the incident appears to have prompted a response from all Washington security agencies, from the Secret Service to the Metropolitan Police and Metro Transit Police.
National Guard troops have been in Washington since August, when Trump deployed them to the streets as part of his crackdown on immigration and crime in the Democratic-led city. As of Wednesday, about 2,200 National Guard troops were stationed in Washington, including troops from the District as well as Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia and Alabama.
Trump has repeatedly suggested that crime in the capital has disappeared as a result of the deployment of the military, which has been sharply criticized by Democrats.