Two U.S. National Guard soldiers killed in shooting near White House

U.S. National Guard soldiers gather near the scene where two members of the National Guard were shot in downtown Washington, DC, on November 26, 2025. Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP via Getty Images

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Two U.S. National Guard soldiers were shot and killed Wednesday two blocks from the White House, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said Wednesday.

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The scene is secured and one person has been arrested, DC Metropolitan Police said in a social media post. Morrisey said the two guardsmen were from his state and died from their injuries.

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“Our entire state grieves with their families, their loved ones, and the Guard community. West Virginia will never forget their service or their sacrifice, and we will demand full accountability for this horrific act,” Morrisey said on social media.

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“Please join me in praying for the two National Guardsmen who were just shot moments ago in Washington DC,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on X.

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An AFP reporter near the scene said she heard several loud pops that sounded like gunshots, and then saw people running away from Farragut Square, a popular and busy outdoor area near the White House and a subway station.

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Trump, who is in Florida, was quickly briefed on the “tragic” situation, a spokeswoman said.

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“The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

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Local authorities confirmed that emergency services responded to and transported three gunshot victims from the area.

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National Guard patrol along the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. Photo by Rahmat Gul/AP

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Secret Service were seen behind yellow police tape, their guns drawn.

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“We heard gunshots. We were waiting at the traffic light and there were several shots, Angela Perry, who was in her car with her two children, told AFP.

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“You could see National Guard running toward the metro with their weapons drawn,” the 42-year-old said.

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Trump has sent National Guard troops to Democratic-run Washington, Los Angeles and Memphis to combat crime and help enforce his crackdown on undocumented migrants.

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Last Thursday a federal judge ruled that Trump’s deployment of thousands of National Guard troops in the U.S. capital is unlawful.

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His extraordinary domestic use of the Guard was also challenged by California earlier this year after the president sent troops to Los Angeles to quell protests sparked by the rounding up of undocumented migrants.

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— With files from Bloomberg

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