Washington, D.C., was shaken to its core on Wednesday afternoon when a brazen attack unfolded near the White House, targeting two brave West Virginia National Guard members on patrol.
In a shocking incident around 2:15 p.m. on November 26, 2025, a gunman rounded a corner and unleashed gunfire on the Guard members, leaving both injured in what D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called a deliberate act, as NPR reports.
The chaos erupted in broad daylight, mere steps from one of the nation’s most iconic landmarks, as the two Guard members were struck by bullets while serving their duty.
Thankfully, nearby Guard members reacted with lightning speed, subduing the shooter before more harm could be done.
The attacker, also wounded in the confrontation, was taken into custody and is now detained at a local hospital under tight security.
While it remains unclear who fired the shot that injured the gunman, all three individuals—both Guard members and the shooter—were rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Initial reports from West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey caused a wave of alarm when he stated the Guard members had been killed, only to correct himself less than 30 minutes later due to conflicting information.
As Morrisey put it, “We are now receiving conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members.”
That uncertainty only deepens the unease surrounding this attack, reminding us how quickly misinformation can spread in a crisis—and how vital it is to get the facts straight.
President Trump, who was in Florida at the time of the incident, has already vowed a strong response, announcing through Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to send an additional 500 Guard troops to D.C.
Hegseth doubled down with a firm stance, declaring, “This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure we make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful.”
While some might cheer this show of strength, others will question if more boots on the ground are the answer, especially given the recent federal judge’s ruling that deemed such deployments unlawful—a decision still pending appeal by the administration.
Let’s not forget the backdrop here: over 2,000 National Guard personnel, including 179 from West Virginia, have been stationed in D.C. in recent months for patrols and even beautification projects, a move sparked by Trump’s concerns over the city’s crime rate since early August.
Critics of this heavy-handed approach argue it’s overreach, especially with more than half of these troops hailing from out of state, but supporters see it as a necessary stand against urban decay and disorder.
With federal agents on the scene and the FBI assisting under Director Kash Patel, this investigation will no doubt fuel an already fiery debate over security, policy, and the role of military presence in our nation’s capital.
