DC Police to patrol with National Guard after shooting near White House
WASHINGTON, DC: Following an attack that resulted in the fatal shooting of a National Guard member and the serious injury of another, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said it will carry out joint patrols with the National Guard in Washington, DC.
This violent incident, which occurred on Wednesday, November 26, around midday, has disturbed the capital and caused a heated debate again about the use of Guard troops in the cities.
Shooting near White House was a 'close-range, surprise attack'
The shooting happened close to quarter past two in the afternoon. A gunman aimed his weapon at and shot two members of the West Virginia National Guard who were stationed in downtown DC. The location was only a few blocks away from the White House.
One of the Guard members, 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, while 24-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, was shot by members of the responding guard and then taken into custody. He now faces first-degree murder charges and has multiple counts filed against him because of the shooting.
According to the federal prosecutors, the incident was a "close-range, surprise attack."
Police and National Guard to patrol side by side
After the shooting, the city leadership of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sent a confidential email mentioning that officers will start high-visibility, joint patrols with National Guard troops, "as needed."
The plan for the police force is written as "fluid," meaning that the changes can be made at any time during the next few days; thus, the possible involvement of other law-enforcement agencies, such as the US Park Police and Metro Transit Police.
The authorities state that the alteration is intended to give confidence to the local people as well as the visitors in the capital and prevent the occurrence of any kind of violent incidents before the investigations are completed.
DC shooting sparks debates
The Guard’s deployment in the first place has been questioned after the shooting.
Their arrival was necessitated by a resurgence of crime in US cities. The Trump administration's crackdown on crime led to the deployment of the Guard troops to DC and other cities in August.
Around 2,200 Guard members are deployed to DC as part of Trump’s crime crackdown initiative. The POTUS ordered the deployment of an additional 500 troops after the shooting.
On the other hand, the suspect’s past, coming through a resettlement program after being part of a CIA-backed Afghan paramilitary unit, has caused a renewed debate on immigration and refugee vetting processes.
