“West Virginia will never forget their service or sacrifice, and we will demand full accountability for this horrific act,” Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said, referring to the killing of two National Guard officers after a shooting near the White House. The incident occurred in Washington, D.C., approximately one block from the presidential residence, prompting an immediate response from state and federal authorities. The soldiers, originally from West Virginia and deployed under federal mandate, died after sustaining serious injuries during the standoff on Wednesday, according to the European News Agency.
Governor Morrissey posted the news on the social media site X, offering his condolences to the families of the victims. Additionally, he confirmed that the West Virginia state government is coordinating with federal agencies to advance investigations, as detailed in Europe Press. Washington, D.C., police located the scene near the presidential complex and confirmed that after the shooting, a suspect was taken into custody. No details have yet been revealed regarding the identity of the alleged attacker or his possible motives. His health condition is unknown, and there are no official charges against him.
The only public information on the suspect’s condition comes from a post in former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social newspaper, which stated that the person responsible “will pay a very heavy price” and confirmed that both the National Guardsmen and the suspect were “seriously injured,” with agents at two different hospitals. The former president also expressed his support for the armed forces and police forces, and concluded: “May God bless our great National Guard and all our military and law enforcement forces.”
According to Europa Press, the US National Guard has had a unit from several states deployed in Washington, D.C., for months. This deployment comes in response to a federal strategy focused on combating violence in the capital and other cities in the country. The government operation allowing the presence of military personnel in the area was promoted during the last federal administration and represents one of the last measures against the increase in crimes.
Despite the magnitude of the event and its proximity to the White House, authorities did not determine whether the event was directly related to the aforementioned federal campaign against crime. They also did not provide additional information about the operation, the identity of the attacker, or the medical condition of the people involved. This lack of data leads to continued uncertainty among citizens and authorities at all levels, according to Europa Press.
Police deployment in the area of the accident continues intensively while technical investigation work continues. Forensic teams are working to collect evidence to reconstruct the shooting sequence and determine its causes, according to European media. Contacts between local authorities in Washington, D.C., the West Virginia State Administration, and federal agencies were ongoing in order to clarify the facts and accompany the affected families.
Various voices highlighted the institutional and social impact of this event in which members of the National Guard participate in compliance with security tasks and is recorded a short distance from the political center of the country. Europe Press stressed that the request for answers about the motives of the attack and those responsible remains a priority for both local and federal administrations, while the investigation remains open.
Governor Morrissey affirmed West Virginia’s commitment to remembering and recognizing fallen officers, and expressed his intent to seek justice for their deaths. From the American capital, security forces are maintaining a large-scale operation in the area where the event took place, while public opinion expectations are increasing in the absence of detailed information about the background of the attack and its repercussions.
According to official sources reported by Europa Press, no further data has yet been released regarding the number of people who were present during the incident or information about potential key witnesses who could contribute to the investigation. The relevant agencies continue to be on alert, giving priority to security around the presidential complex and intensifying the search for elements that would lead to a full clarification of the events.