High-Level Press Conference Set for Tomorrow 9AM EST - D.C. Terror Attack

High-Level Press Conference Set for Tomorrow 9AM EST: Major Update Expected in Shocking Shooting of Two West Virginia National Guardsmen Near White House

Washington, D.C. – November 27, 2025  In the wake of a brazen and targeted ambush that has gripped the nation's capital, top federal, local, and military leaders are convening for a high-stakes press conference tomorrow morning to deliver critical updates on the investigation into the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members. The incident, which unfolded just blocks from the White House on Wednesday afternoon, has ignited fierce national debate over security, immigration, and the ongoing deployment of Guard troops in the District amid heightened tensions.

The briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET at an undisclosed location in downtown Washington, sources familiar with the planning confirmed late Wednesday. Attendees include a powerhouse lineup of law enforcement heavyweights, signaling the gravity of the probe and its potential implications for national security. Leading the roster is U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the outspoken Fox News veteran turned federal prosecutor, who is expected to address legal ramifications and possible charges against the suspect. Joining her will be FBI Director Kash Patel, the Trump appointee whose agency is spearheading the terrorism inquiry, and Task Force Commander Don Snider of the United States Marshals Service, overseeing fugitive operations and witness protection in the case. Also on hand: Brig. Gen. Leland Blanchard of the National Guard, representing the military's perspective on the victims' welfare and troop reinforcements; Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), who provided the first on-scene account of the attack; FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Samuel Ward of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Division, focusing on the weapon used in the assault.

The shooting occurred around 3:30 p.m. ET near the entrance to the Farragut West Metro station on 18th Street NW, a bustling artery mere minutes from the White House. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene: A lone gunman, later identified by law enforcement as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021 via the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome refugee program, allegedly "came around the corner and immediately started firing," according to Carroll's initial briefing. The two Guardsmen—both in uniform and part of a contingent of approximately 2,375 troops deployed to D.C. under controversial Trump administration orders—were struck at close range. One victim was reportedly hit while mere feet from the assailant; the second sought cover behind a bus shelter but was nonetheless wounded.

Swift action by fellow Guardsmen and responding MPD officers neutralized the threat, with the suspect sustaining severe injuries in the exchange. Bystander videos, which circulated rapidly on social media, captured the harrowing moments: officers subduing the shooter and administering CPR to one of the victims as a U.S. Capitol Park Police helicopter airlifted the injured to area hospitals. As of late Wednesday, both Guardsmen remained in critical but stable condition at separate facilities, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey confirmed after retracting an earlier, erroneous report of their deaths. "Our hearts are with these brave West Virginians," Morrisey said in a statement. "Conflicting reports caused unnecessary pain, but the fight for their lives continues."

President Donald Trump, vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for Thanksgiving, wasted no time in framing the attack as a politically charged flashpoint. In a prerecorded video address and posts on Truth Social, he branded the shooter "an animal" and the incident "an act of evil, an act of hatred, and an act of terror." Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington—despite ongoing legal challenges to the existing mobilization—vowing to "re-examine every Afghan immigrant flown in by the Biden administration." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed the sentiment, lambasting Lakanwal's entry as part of an "unvetted, mass parole" under prior leadership.

The FBI, under Patel's direction, is probing the shooting as a potential act of international terrorism, though officials emphasized no ties to organized groups have been uncovered. Lakanwal, who at one point resided in Washington state and carried no identification at the time of his arrest, has not cooperated with investigators. A motive remains elusive, but Mayor Muriel Bowser described it as a deliberate "targeting" of the uniformed personnel, who were on routine patrol amid the Guard's D.C. mission. The White House was briefly locked down, streets were cordoned off, and the Metropolitan Police locked down the metro station as dozens of officers swarmed the area.

Reactions poured in from across the political spectrum. Vice President JD Vance, speaking from an Army base in Kentucky, urged prayers for the Guardsmen "so they can spend Thanksgiving with their families," calling them "the sword and the shield of the United States." Former President Barack Obama condemned the violence in a social media post, while critics decried Trump's rhetoric as inflammatory. Immigration advocates warned against broad-brush scapegoating, noting Lakanwal's refugee status stemmed from risks posed by the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

As the capital braces for tomorrow's revelations—potentially including suspect interrogation details, forensic findings on the firearm, and updates on the victims' prognoses—the briefing underscores a nation on edge. With Guard reinforcements en route and federal agencies in overdrive, questions linger: Was this a lone act of desperation, or the harbinger of broader threats? The answers, officials say, are forthcoming at 9 a.m. sharp. 17GEN4.com