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The National Guard shooting in DC, briefly explained
There’s still much we don’t know, but the shooting could further inflame concerns about political violence in the US.
Cameron Peters is a staff editor at Vox.
Welcome to The Logoff: Two National Guard members were shot in downtown Washington, DC, near the White House on Wednesday afternoon.
What do we know? This is a breaking news story, which means it’s still evolving in real time, and early reports sometimes turn out to be incorrect. With that caveat, here’s what’s been reported so far:
- A shooting suspect is in custody and was reportedly also injured. On Wednesday evening, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the suspect was an Afghan national.
- The National Guard members, who are both from West Virginia, are in critical condition, according to the joint task force overseeing the National Guard’s posting in DC.
- The shooting took place in DC’s downtown business district, a few blocks away from the White House; President Donald Trump is not currently in Washington.
How is the White House responding? In a post to Truth Social, Trump described the shooting suspect as an “animal” who will “pay a very steep price.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also told reporters Trump had requested 500 additional National Guard troops be deployed to the city. US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on Wednesday night that immigration from Afghanistan would be “stopped indefinitely.”
Vice President JD Vance, speaking at a military base in Kentucky, emphasized that the motive in the shooting was still unknown and asked for prayers.
What’s the context? National Guard troops have been deployed in DC since August in what Trump has described as an effort to prevent crime in the city; however, they have largely been focused on patrolling in high-visibility areas of DC and pursuing beautification efforts like trash pickup. Multiple Republican-led states, including West Virginia, deployed troops in addition to DC’s own National Guard.
Concerns about potential clashes in the city were high after the initial deployment, but until Wednesday, it had been peaceful.
After the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, concerns about political violence in the US have also been rising — and, depending on what we learn about the motives of the shooter, this could be another flashpoint. But it’s far too soon to say exactly what happened here or what might happen next.
And with that, it’s time to log off…
Happy early Thanksgiving! This newsletter will be fully logged off on Thursday and Friday. We hope you will be too, and we’ll be here to catch you up when we get back on Monday.
If you haven’t read the Great Turkey Debate between my colleagues Christian Paz and Alex Abad-Santos yet, I recommend it — whichever side of the argument you’re on, it’s a good time.
And before we go, I want to end with a quick note of gratitude: I’m very thankful for everyone who reads and subscribes to this newsletter, and especially to everyone who has written in with constructive criticism, kind words, cute animal photos, and more. Thanks for being a great audience, and I hope you have a wonderful day with friends, family, and good food!
Update, Thursday, November 27, 7:30 am: This post has been updated with the nationality of the shooter, more information about the National Guard members’ condition, and further details on the Trump administration’s response.
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