Two West Virginia National Guard personnel on duty near the White House were shot and left critically injured on Wednesday, in what Washington’s mayor described as a deliberately aimed attack.

The assault—carried out in daylight against troops whose deployment has been the subject of fierce national debate—quickly fuelled concerns about a politically charged act of violence. Investigators had not confirmed a motive by late Wednesday. Authorities withheld the suspect’s identity, though three individuals familiar with the case said the gunman was an Afghan national.

Metropolitan Police Department executive assistant chief Jeffery Carroll stated that the shooter appeared to have acted independently and had been taken into custody.

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing political and legal disputes over the presence of federal officers, immigration enforcement personnel and National Guard units in American cities. Demonstrators have resisted these deployments, sometimes clashing with authorities, while President Donald Trump has defended the Guard’s presence as essential for crime control. Many locals and city leaders, however, have criticised the move as unnecessary and inflammatory.

Trump, who was in Florida when the shooting occurred, ordered an additional 500 troops to Washington in response, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The president denounced the attacker on social media, vowing a harsh penalty.

More than 2,000 National Guard members from West Virginia and several southern and midwestern states — including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina and Georgia — are currently stationed in the capital, part of a deployment first initiated in August.

Armed Guard units have become a common sight throughout Washington, with small patrols positioned at metro stations, tourist landmarks and nightlife areas.