Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were seriously wounded Wednesday afternoon in a shooting just blocks from the White House, and authorities have identified the suspect and released new information about his background and the U.S. response.

The victims — a 24-year-old and a 20-year-old guardsman, both newly sworn in — were on “high-visibility patrol” near the entrance to the Farragut West station subway when a gunman suddenly opened fire around 2:15 p.m. local time. The suspect, later identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Operation Allies Welcome program.

Both wounded soldiers underwent surgery and remain in critical condition, according to the federal authorities handling the case. The investigation is

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