Editor’s note: West Virginia’s governor initially said the two Guard members had died, but has since said there is conflicting information about their conditions.
Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot near the White House on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
The Guard members were a woman and a man, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the situation, and both were in critical condition.
“Denise and I are devastated by the news that two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot today in Washington, DC,” West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said on X.
“Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the extraordinary men and women of our Guard who put themselves at risk every day. West Virginia is united behind them. We will do everything in our power to support their families as they endure this unimaginable loss and we will not rest until justice is served.”
An unidentified man in a military uniform lies on a stretcher inside an ambulance, Nov. 26, 2025, in downtown Washington, DC. Two National Guard soldiers were shot just blocks from the White House, according to authorities.
Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images
A suspect is in custody, the Metropolitan Police Department said, and the scene has been secured. A man believed to be a suspect is in critical condition, the law enforcement official said.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the US Marshalls, ATF and FBI, responded to the shooting. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her agency was working with local authorities to gather more information.
According to a DC police officer, an active shooter incident was reported at 2:20 pm ET at the entrance to the Farragut West subway station.
A US Capitol Park Police helicopter is seen on the National Mall evacuating a National Guard shooting victim, November 26, 2025 in Washington, DC
Emily Hanson/AP
President Donald Trump has been briefed about the shooting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
A White House official confirmed that the White House is currently closed. Trump is currently in Florida, where he will spend Thanksgiving at his Mar-a-Lago club.
“The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, both seriously injured and now in two separate hospitals, is also seriously injured, but will still pay a very high price,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Wednesday afternoon. “God bless our Great National Guard and all of our military and law enforcement. These are truly great people. I, as President of the United States and all those associated with the Office of the President, stand with you!”
National Guard members and law enforcement officers at the scene of a shooting, Nov. 26, 2025, in Washington, DC
Jay O’Brien/ABC News
Shooting site near the White House
Google Earth, DC Police Department
The National Guard was deployed to the nation’s capital as part of President Trump’s federal takeover of the city in August. According to the most recent update, there are 2,188 Guard personnel assigned to the DC
On Tuesday, during the traditional turkey pardon, Trump touted his administration’s takeover of DC. He said it was “one of our most unsafe places anywhere in the United States. It is now considered a totally safe city.”
“You could walk down any street in Washington and you’ll be fine. And I want to thank the National Guard. I want to thank them for the job they’ve done here, which is incredible,” Trump said at the event.
Emergency vehicles gather in a cordoned off area near where National Guard soldiers appear to have been shot near the White House, November 26, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Vice President JD Vance addressed the shooting Wednesday while speaking to troops in Kentucky, where he was spending the day serving meals to soldiers and their families ahead of Thanksgiving.
“We’re still learning everything. We still don’t know why,” Vance said.
“It is a somber reminder that soldiers, whether active duty reserve or National Guard, are the sword and shield of the United States of America,” the vice president said. “And as a person who goes to work every day in that building and knows that there are many people who wear the uniform of the United States military, let me thank you very personally for what you are doing.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
