US: National Guardsmen shot in Washington

By Zachary Cohen, Kaanita Iyer, Holmes Lybrand, Gabe Cohen, CNN

(CNN) — Two National Guardsmen were shot in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The shooting occurred in downtown Washington, DC, on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the early reports and a law enforcement official.

The two National Guardsmen engaged in gunfire with the suspected shooter prior to being shot, according to two law enforcement sources. The sources said the suspect was detained and transported away from the scene on a stretcher.

DC Metropolitan Police said on X that the scene is secure and one suspect is in custody. They advised people to avoid the area.

The National Guard did not immediately respond to request for comment. The circumstances of the shooting are not immediately clear.

National Guard troops from multiple states have been in Washington, DC, for months as part of President Donald Trump’s anti-crime crackdown in the nation’s capital, which has since expanded to other cities across the country.

Trump mobilized the National Guard in August and the troops were authorized to conduct law enforcement activities.

CNN exclusively reported last month that National Guard troops will remain mobilized in the city at least through February.

However, last week a federal judge halted the mobilization of the National Guard in Washington, DC, ruling that Trump and the Defense Department illegally deployed the troops.

In her ruling, the judge said there were “more than 2,000 National Guard troops” every day in the city.

The judge did not immediately order the National Guard to leave the city, allowing the Trump administration some time to file an appeal.

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