President Donald Trump ripped into the suspect who fatally shot two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., Wednesday afternoon.
Trump warned that the “animal” who carried out the shooting “will pay a very steep price.”
The guardsmen from West Virginia were shot just north of the White House shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday. The identity and motive of the suspected shooter remains unclear. Trump had deployed the National Guard to D.C. in August to crack down on crime. The move was controversial and angered some residents.
Here is everything we know about the shooting so far:
Where did the shooting happen?
Shots were fired just north of the White House and near the Farragut West Metro Station.
Who is the shooter?
The identity of the shooter is unknown, but Washington, D.C. metro police did say they have one suspect in custody.
What have officials said about the shooting?
Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday afternoon: “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price.
“God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”
Shortly after his post, the West Virginia governor confirmed the two guardsmen had died.
Mason quoted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt: “The White House is aware and actively monitoring this tragic situation. The President has been briefed.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in an X post Wednesday afternoon, “Please join me in praying for the two National Guardsmen who were just shot moments ago in Washington D.C.”
Noem said the agency is “working with local law enforcement to gather more information.”
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced the soldiers’ deaths on X Wednesday afternoon.
“It is with great sorrow that we can confirm both members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot earlier today in Washington, DC have passed away from their injuries. These brave West Virginians lost their lives in the service of their country.
“We are in ongoing contact with federal officials as the investigation continues. Our entire state grieves with their families, their loved ones, and the Guard community. West Virginia will never forget their service or their sacrifice, and we will demand full accountability for this horrific act,” Morrisey wrote.
Why is the National Guard in D.C.?
The National Guard has been in the nation’s capital for months after Trump declared a crime emergency, despite violent crime declining in recent years.
Troops have patrolled metro stations and picked up trash during their deployment.
Last Thursday, a federal judge ruled that Trump’s deployment of troops exceeded the president’s legal authority. But the order would not go into effect for 21 days to give the Trump administration time to appeal.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement shared by CBS News that D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s lawsuit against the administration is “nothing more than another attempt — at the detriment of DC residents — to undermine the President’s highly successful operations to stop violent crime in DC.”
This is a developing story…
