Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot and later died on Wednesday near the White House in Washington, DC, the state’s governor confirmed. 

Governor Patrick Morrisey announced the deaths in a social media post, calling the incident a tragedy and saying authorities remain in close contact with federal officials as the investigation continues. 

The shooting occurred around 2:30 pm local time near 17th and I Streets NW, a few blocks from the White House and adjacent to Farragut Square, a busy area with a nearby metro station. 

According to law enforcement, the attack injured three people: the two guardsmen and the alleged shooter. The shooter has been taken into custody and is reported to have non-life-threatening injuries.

Eyewitnesses described hearing several loud pops followed by panicked crowds fleeing the scene. One witness, who was stopped at a traffic light with her children, said she saw members of the National Guard running toward the Metro station with their weapons drawn. 

'Animal [...] will pay a very steep price'

Following the attack, the area was quickly sealed off by the Metropolitan Police Department, backed by agents from the US Secret Service and other federal law enforcement bodies. A helicopter even landed on the National Mall during the response.

At the time of the shooting, Donald Trump was in Florida. He was briefed about the incident and in a post on his social-media platform described the shooter as an “animal” and vowed that the perpetrator “will pay a very steep price.” 

This comes as the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington has drawn widespread attention and legal challenges. A federal judge recently ruled the deployment unlawful, though enforcement has been delayed pending appeal. 

Judge blocks Trump order deploying National Guard

A US federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s directive authorizing the deployment of National Guard units in Washington, ruling that the move may violate multiple federal laws and constitutional protections.

The decision, issued Thursday by Judge Jia Cobb, comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the District of Columbia. According to the ruling, the city argued that the deployment breached the Administrative Procedure Act, the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, the Posse Comitatus Act, and the US Constitution.

The lawsuit names Trump, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, and US Attorney General Pamela Bondi as defendants.

Deployments faced legal pushback, limited activity

The Title 10 military presence, which refers to federal control of military forces, remains in place in other cities where troops have been stationed, including Los Angeles, Memphis, and Washington, DC.

Democratic leaders in several of these cities have opposed the deployments, and the issue has reached the US Supreme Court, which is expected to decide whether the Trump administration’s actions were lawful.

US Northern Command stated on X that the military would continue to assess and adjust its deployment levels, stating, “In the coming days, the Department will be shifting and/or rightsizing our Title 10 footprint in Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago to ensure a constant, enduring, and long-term presence in each city.”

The command also noted that troops across those cities are trained, ready, and will be “employed whenever needed to support law enforcement and keep our citizens safe.”