The capital of America is Washington D.C. Two West Virginia National Guard officers were killed in Wednesday’s shooting not far from the White House. This incident has created a stir in the entire city. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey confirmed this through a social media post. He said the state administration is in touch with federal agencies and the investigation is ongoing.
How did the incident happen?
The shooting happened at the corner of 17th and H Street NW, about two blocks from the White House. This place is near the entrance of Farragut West metro station. According to officials, an active shooter was reported at 2:20 p.m. (ET). DC Metropolitan Police said the scene has been secured and a suspect is in custody. The suspect was also injured by the gunshot, but his condition is said to be out of danger.
All three injured were taken to the hospital
DC Fire and Emergency Services Officer Vito Maggiolo said that the two National Guard soldiers and the three suspects who were wounded by the gunshots were immediately taken to the hospital. One of these officers was shot in the head, due to which his condition remained critical and he later died.
Heavy security in the area, multiple agencies on the scene
The scene was completely sealed off.
Agencies present at the spot—
- US Secret Service
- ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives)
- DC Police
- Joint DC Task Force
- National Guard K Jawan
A helicopter also landed on the National Mall, which gives an idea of the seriousness of the situation.
Trump’s statement: “Aggressors will pay a heavy price”
President Donald Trump, who is celebrating Thanksgiving in Florida, warned in a statement on social media that the “animal” who shot the guardsman would “pay a heavy price.”
The deployment of the National Guard was already controversial
For the past several months, the Trump administration had deployed the National Guard of 8 states and DC to control the increasing crime in Washington DC. Soldiers were patrolling different parts of the city, metro stations, highway checkpoints and public places. Many soldiers were also engaged in non-security work such as garbage collection and security of sporting events. A federal judge recently ruled the deployment illegal, but the order was stayed for 21 days so the government could appeal.