Update: National Guard Troops Shot in DC Were Ambushed, Shot at Point-Blank Range

Two members of the D.C. National Guard were the targets of a calculated attack Wednesday afternoon, ambushed and shot at point-blank range while conducting high-visibility patrols in Northwest Washington — an area that has become increasingly dangerous despite the District’s heavy law-enforcement presence.

Metropolitan Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carrol delivered a detailed breakdown of the incident, making clear that this was not a random encounter but a premeditated assault on uniformed service members.

“At approximately 2:15 this afternoon, members of the D.C. National Guard were on high-visibility patrols in the area of 17th and I Street Northwest,” Carrol said, “when a suspect came around the corner, raised his arm with a firearm, and discharged at the National Guard members.”

According to Carrol, the shooter closed in on the troops before opening fire without warning — a chilling sign that armed criminals now view attacks on service members as viable targets.

“The National Guard members — there were others in the area — they were able to, after some back-and-forth, bring the individual into custody,” he added, emphasizing the National Guard’s extraordinarily fast reaction to the ambush.

Authorities acknowledged that the swift and disciplined response of the Guardsmen prevented further bloodshed.

“Within moments, members of law enforcement in the area were able to assist and bring that individual into custody,” Carrol said, noting the coordination between the Guard and police on the scene.

D.C. Fire and EMS were dispatched to provide first aid before transporting the wounded troops to a hospital.

“At this time, as [FBI Director Kash Patel] mentioned, the National Guard members are being treated at a local hospital,” Carrol confirmed, noting that both were in stable condition.

The suspected gunman was also hospitalized and is currently under medical supervision. Neither a motive nor identification has yet been released, and officials say the investigation remains active.

The shooting took place in a busy corridor of Northwest D.C., raising serious questions about public safety in the nation’s capital — particularly as National Guard members have been deployed to reinforce order amid ongoing concerns about violent crime.

The full press conference featuring Patel and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is available below:

Law enforcement continues to investigate the incident.