Following the recent shooting that left two National Guardsmen critically wounded near the White House, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has announced a significant bolstering of security in Washington, D.C. Hegseth declared, from the Dominican Republic where he was engaged in talks with the nation's leaders, that an additional 500 National Guardsmen would be deployed to the capital as per President Donald J. Trump's request, reported war.gov.
The announcement came after the afternoon's meetings, Secretary Hegseth, while still in the Dominican Republic, had to respond promptly to the violence back home. "After those meetings, [my team and I] were notified that two National Guardsmen had been shot in Washington, D.C., critically wounded by a shooter [and] shot in a cowardly, dastardly act targeting the best of America," Hegseth told the media. Suffering from injuries sustained during the incident, the suspect involved in the shooting is now in custody, confirmed by D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll, according to war.gov.
The FBI relayed through their Director Kash Patel, that the two victims, hailing from West Virginia, were swiftly transported to a local hospital and currently combat life-threatening injuries. This unfortunate event underscores the risks that service members face, even while on duty within the country's perimeters.
Despite the grim circumstances, Hegseth applauded the fallen guardsmen's bravery and dedication. "[They're] heroes willing to serve in Washington, D.C., [to] serve for people they don't know and they've never met. Because they love their country and their capital and their community, they were willing to do dangerous things," he praised, as he stood on the National Palace's steps. Hegseth's following statement, marred by a misplaced modifier, emphasized that the capital's crime rates have decreased notably since the National Guard's deployment began in August, touting this as a historic achievement in enhancing safety and security. "The drop in crime has been historic. The increase in safety and security has been historic. But if criminals want to conduct things like this — violence against America's best — we will never back down," he stated, as noted by the U.S. Department of War.
As the investigation continues, the presence of the National Guard in Washington is expected to grow.
