On the eve of Thanksgiving, America's most important holiday, terror descends on downtown Washington. Two blocks from the White House, in an area crowded with local and international tourists, especially these days, a man opened fire around 3:00 PM local time (9:00 PM GMT), seriously wounding two National Guard soldiers, the force deployed by Donald Trump to fight crime in the city. The suspect, also seriously wounded, was arrested in less than half an hour, thanks in part to the large number of police forces normally deployed in that area of Washington. The exact circumstances of the shooting are still unclear. According to CNN, the soldiers opened fire first and were then shot. Therefore, they may have intervened to prevent a massacre, or they may have been the targets of the attack themselves.
The soldiers affected
There has been a flurry of unclear information regarding the conditions of the two injured soldiers.
In an initial tweet, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey wrote: "It is with deep sorrow that we confirm that both West Virginia National Guard members shot today in Washington have succumbed to their injuries. These brave citizens lost their lives in service to their country. We are in constant contact with federal authorities as the investigation continues. Our entire state extends its heartfelt sympathies to their families, loved ones, and the National Guard community. West Virginia will never forget their service or sacrifice, and we will demand full accountability for this horrific act."
A few minutes after the change of story: «We are receiving conflicting reports on the conditions of our two Guard members and will provide further updates as soon as we receive more complete information.
Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the entire Guard community,” Morrisey wrote on X.
FBI Director Kash Patel later clarified the situation at a press conference: "They are in critical condition." The reconstruction revealed that the attack was specifically aimed at the men in uniform.
Trump's reaction
"The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen is seriously injured and will pay a heavy price," Donald Trump wrote in Truth. "God bless our Great National Guard and all our military and law enforcement. They are truly extraordinary people. I stand with you," he added.
In August, Donald Trump decided to deploy approximately 2,000 National Guard troops to the US capital to "fight crime" in the city. In November, the mandate was extended until February. So far, there have been no incidents or clashes between residents and the National Guard.
(Unioneonline)