Two National Guard members killed in shooting near White House – state governor

Two National Guard members shot near the White House have died, a state governor has said.

West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey confirmed their deaths in a social media post.

“We are in ongoing contact with federal officials as the investigation continues,” he said.

A suspect who was in custody was also shot and has injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

One National Guard member was shot in the head, according to a person familiar with the details of the incident who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Emergency medical responders transported all three victims to a hospital, according to Vito Maggiolo, the public information officer for the Washington DC fire and emergency services.

The Joint DC Task Force confirmed they responded to the incident after reports of the shooting on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police Department also said they were on scene.

The shooting happened at the corner of 17th and H Streets in the north-west quadrant of the city.

Police tape cordoned off the scene where emergency fire and police vehicles’ lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead.

Agents from the US Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on scene, as National Guard troops stood sentry nearby.

At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.

US President Donald Trump, who is in Florida celebrating Thanksgiving, warned in a statement on social media that the “animal” who shot the guardsmen “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,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”.

The presence of the National Guard in the nation’s capital has been a flashpoint issue for months, fuelling a court fight and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer wrote on social media that he was “closely monitoring” the shooting and that his “heart breaks for the victims of this horrific shooting”.

A spokesperson for Mayor Muriel Bowser said that local leaders were actively monitoring the situation.

Ms Bowser had spent the morning at a Thanksgiving event at the Convention Centre and then held a press conference to explain why she was not seeking re-election.

Mr Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalised the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia.

The order expired a month later but the troops remained.

The soldiers have patrolled neighbourhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and have also been assigned to rubbish pickup and to guard sports events.

Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal the decision.