Two National Guard Members Shot in DC Shooting Near White House as Security Debate Erupts
Written by b87fm on 11/26/2025
Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot on November 26, 2025, in a brazen attack just blocks from the White House — a tragedy that rattled Washington, D.C.’s already-tense security landscape.
The shooting erupted at the intersection of 17th and H Streets NW, one of the city’s most heavily monitored zones. According to a law enforcement official speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, the suspect — now in custody — was also wounded, though his injuries are not life-threatening. One Guard member was shot in the head, a source briefed on the investigation said.
Emergency crews rushed all three individuals to a nearby hospital within minutes. Vito Maggiolo of D.C. Fire and Emergency Services said the Joint D.C. Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department responded immediately and secured the scene.
A City Locked Down
By sundown, several blocks were roped off with police tape. Helicopters hovered overhead as local police, federal agents, the Secret Service, ATF, and National Guard personnel worked side by side under flashing lights.
President Donald Trump, spending Thanksgiving week in Florida, reacted swiftly on social media — first condemning the shooter as an “animal” who would face a “steep price,” then posting condolences:
“God bless our Great National Guard and all our Military and Law Enforcement… I stand with you as President of the United States.”
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A Security Flashpoint
The attack lands at a volatile moment in the nation’s capital. The Trump administration has pushed for increased National Guard involvement in D.C. amid concerns about crime — a controversial tactic that has triggered legal challenges and political battles over the boundaries of military authority on U.S. streets.
The deaths of two Guard members are expected to intensify that debate dramatically.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote that he was “closely monitoring” the developments and that his “heart breaks for those affected.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser assured residents that the city is reviewing its response protocols as investigators continue to gather information.
Earlier this year, Trump issued an emergency order placing federal oversight over local police and bringing Guard units from multiple states into D.C. The order expired, but troops remained active in civilian-support roles until a federal court ruled that the deployment must end. That ruling is on hold for 21 days as the administration weighs an appeal.
For now, investigators remain tight-lipped as they reconstruct the events of the deadly encounter — a moment that has shaken both the capital’s sense of security and the national conversation about the role of the military in American cities.
