The Latest: West Virginia National Guard members shot near White House
Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence.
The West Virginia governor initially said the troops had died, but later walked back the statement to say the office was “receiving conflicting reports about the condition.” The governor’s office did not immediately respond to questions about the attack and the condition of the troops.
A suspect, now in custody, was also shot and has injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and who spoke to AP 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 AP on condition of anonymity.
Here's the Latest:
JUST IN: DC mayor says National Guard members were victims of ‘targeted shooting.’
—- The Associated Press
JUST IN: Two National Guard soldiers who were shot near White House are in critical condition, DC mayor and FBI director say.
—- The Associated Press
West Virginia governor walks back statement that both National Guard members were killed
Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said that both members of the state’s National Guard that were shot near the White House had passed away in a post on X.
About 20 minutes later, Morrisey said that his office was hearing “conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members” in another post, but did not elaborate further.
Two National Guard members shot just blocks from the White House
Two West Virginia National Guard members who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence.
The West Virginia governor initially said the troops had died, but later walked back the statement to say his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition. The governor’s office did not immediately respond to questions about the attack and the condition of the troops.
A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
“We are in ongoing contact with federal officials as the investigation continues,” Gov. Patrick Morrisey said.
Law enforcement was reviewing surveillance video from the scene and believed the suspect approached the soldiers and pulled out a gun, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
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Witnesses tell AP they sheltered in a nearby cafe
Two women exited the metro station just after the shots were fired, and someone told them: “run.”
Emma McDonald and Leila Christopher told the AP that they ran to a cafe and hunkered down with others, including one that told them they’d heard six gunshots in quick succession.
Several minutes later, McDonald saw an EMT truck pull up, and then responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood, she said. Eventually they were told the area was secured.
Vance urges public to pray for National Guardsmen
In Fort Campbell, Ky., Vice President JD Vance urged “everybody who’s a person of faith” to pray for the two National Guardsmen. He cautioned that much remained unknown, including the motive of the shooter.
“I think it’s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they’re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,” Vance said as he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.
Leader Thune expresses ‘thoughts and prayers’ after DC shooting
In a message posted on social media, Senate Majority Leader John Thune wrote that his “thoughts and prayers are with the National Guardsmen who were attacked this afternoon.”
“I urge you to keep them in your prayers too,” he added.
Witness describes hearing gunshots
Stacy Walters said she was near 17th Street in a car when she heard two gunshots, “boom boom,” and she noticed small children then others running.
Almost instantly law enforcement swarmed the area, she said.
“It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this and we’re getting ready for the holidays?”
The shooting happened at the corner of 17th and H Streets in the northwest quadrant of the city.
National Guard troops in DC have been a flashpoint issue
The presence of the National Guard in the nation’s capital has fueled 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.
Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized 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 neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and also have also been assigned to trash 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.
Flights were temporarily paused at Reagan National
Incoming flights to Reagan Washington National Airport were temporarily paused because of the locations of aircraft involved in responding to the shooting of two National Guardsmen, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Departing flights were not impacted and normal operations have now resumed.
The airport is located just outside of the federal district and is connected to the same rail line as the train station near where the shooting took place.
Other airports in the metropolitan area like Dulles International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport were unaffected.
Newsom denounces violence after shooting
California Gov. Gavin Newsom denounced the killings of two National Guardsmen in the nation’s capital as “horrific and unacceptable” in a statement on social media.
“There must be zero tolerance for violence — of any kind — against the brave men and women in uniform who selflessly serve our communities and our country,” Newsom said.
“Jen and I are praying for the service members, their families, and the entire National Guard community,” the Democratic governor added.
Social media video shows officers restraining an individual at the scene
Social media video shared from the immediate aftermath of the shooting showed first responders attempting CPR on one of the national guardsmen and treating the other amid a glass-strewn sidewalk.
Other officers could be seen steps away restraining an individual on the ground.
Two West Virginia National Guard members shot in DC have died, the state’s governor says
Two West Virginia National Guard members shot Wednesday near the White House have died, the state’s governor said.
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 also was shot and has injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and who spoke to AP 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 AP on condition of anonymity.
The shooting happened at the corner of 17th and H Streets in the northwest quadrant of the city, roughly two blocks northwest of the White House.
JUST IN: Two West Virginia National Guard members have died in the shooting near the White House, the state’s governor says.
— The Associated Press
JUST IN: Two National Guard members are in critical condition after shooting near White House; suspect shot, AP source says
— The Associated Press
Suspect is in custody in the shooting of National Guard members in DC
A suspect is in custody in the shooting of National Guard members in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, police said.
Two guard soldiers were shot near the White House and their conditions aren’t immediately known, according to two law enforcement officials not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Emergency vehicles were seen responding to the area and at least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.
JUST IN: Suspect is in custody in shooting of National Guard members in Washington, D.C., police say
— The Associated Press
Two National Guard members shot in Washington, D.C., and their condition isn’t known, AP source says
Two National Guard soldiers were shot Wednesday near the White House and their conditions aren’t immediately known, according to a law enforcement official not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Emergency vehicles were seen responding to the area. The Joint DC Task Force confirmed they were responding to an incident in the vicinity of the White House in the movements after reports of the shooting. However, the spokesperson wouldn’t immediately confirm or deny if any National Guard members had been shot.
The Metropolitan Police Department said they were responding to a shooting but didn’t immediately provide more information.
A spokesperson for Mayor Muriel Bowser said that local leaders were actively monitoring the situation.
President Donald Trump was at his West Palm Beach golf course when the shooting took place.
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‘Rush Hour 4’ will be distributed by Paramount after Trump’s reported request
After President Donald Trump’s reported intervention, Paramount Pictures is set to distribute Brett Ratner’s “Rush Hour 4,” a project that Hollywood had eschewed after earlier sexual misconduct allegations against the director.
Paramount Pictures on Tuesday was in closing talks to distribute the film, according to a person close to the negotiations who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to announce a deal. Paramount would be stepping in to take a distribution fee on the film, not finance it.
In 2017, during the #MeToo movement, six women said Ratner sexually harassed them in a Los Angeles Times report. Warner Bros., which had a $450-million co-financing deal with his production company, severed ties with Ratner. Ratner, who denied the allegations, hasn’t produced a film this decade.
▶ Read more about ‘Rush Hour 4’
States sue to keep SNAP benefits for some lawful immigrants
Democratic state attorneys general are suing the Trump administration to keep SNAP food aid from being taken away from groups of permanent residents in the U.S., including people granted asylum or admitted as refugees.
The top state government lawyers from 21 states and the District of Columbia say in Wednesday’s suit that the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued guidance to states in October calling for groups to be denied help from the food aid program even though Trump’s sweeping tax and policy law this summer didn’t specifically exclude them.
The states say the penalties for providing the benefits to excluded groups are so severe that they put states in danger of shutting down their SNAP programs entirely.
The filing in federal court in Oregon is the latest chapter in a battle over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which the administration tried to pause during the government shutdown.
Parks advocacy group slams fee hike for international visitors
A coalition of current, former and retired employees at the National Park Service is denouncing a plan by the Trump administration to charge international tourists an extra $100 to enter some of the most popular U.S. parks, on top of the normal entrance fee. Fees for an annual park pass will also jump to $250 for international visitors.
“In a year where national park staff have already been cut by nearly 25%, we worry this will be yet another burden for already overworked employees,″ said Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks.
Parks attract millions of international visitors every year who are “an important economic driver for our parks and for gateway communities around the U.S., and this could end up negatively impacting them,” Thompson added.
“National parks should be available and accessible to all, or America’s best idea will become America’s greatest shakedown,″ she said.
Trump continues to emerge unscathed after prosecutions
Although a series of cases once threatened to imperil Trump’s political career and personal liberty, the abandonment of the Georgia case is the latest reflection of how he has emerged mostly unscathed.
Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who had charged Trump with conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election and hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, dropped both cases after Trump won the White House last year. He cited longstanding Justice Department policy against the indictment of a sitting president.
And though Trump was convicted of felony charges in New York in connection with hush money payments during the 2016 election, he was sentenced in January to an unconditional discharge, leaving his conviction intact but sparing him any punishment.
How the new prosecutor in Georgia’s election interference case was chosen
The nonpartisan Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia was tasked with replacing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the case after she was disqualified over an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she’d chosen to lead the case.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee set a Nov. 14 deadline for the appointment of a new prosecutor, so Pete Skandalakis, executive director for the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia chose to appoint himself rather than allowing the case to be dismissed.
“Several prosecutors were contacted and, while all were respectful and professional, each declined the appointment,” Skandalakis said in an emailed statement.
Prosecutor declines to pursue Georgia election case against Trump
The prosecutor who recently took over the Georgia election interference case against Trump and others said in a court filing Wednesday that he has decided not to pursue the case further.
Pete Skandalakis, the executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, took over the case earlier this month from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who was removed over an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she chose to lead the case.
It was unlikely that legal action against Trump could have moved forward while he is president. But 14 other defendants still faced charges, including former New York mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia, applauded the case’s dismissal.
Kremlin confirms US envoy will visit as talks on ending war in Ukraine gain momentum
A senior Kremlin official confirmed Wednesday that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Moscow next week as efforts pick up speed to find a consensus on ending the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine.
But Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, insisted that Kremlin officials haven’t officially received the initial U.S. peace proposal, although they have acknowledged that they have seen a copy obtained through back channels. Representatives of the United States, Russia and Ukraine held talks earlier this week in the United Arab Emirates.
“Contact is ongoing, including via telephone, but no one has yet sat down at a roundtable and discussed this point by point. That hasn’t happened,” Ushakov told Russian state media.
Report: Witkoff coached Putin’s aide on pitching Trump
Trump’s chief interlocutor with the Russian government last month advised a senior aide to Vladimir Putin on how the Russian leader should go about pitching the U.S. president on a Ukraine peace plan.
That’s according to a transcript of the Oct. 14 call published Tuesday by Bloomberg News. The news agency said it reviewed a recording of the call.
It said Trump envoy Steve Witkoff advised Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov that Putin should call the U.S. leader to congratulate him and praise Trump for the Gaza peace deal. Trump described Witkoff’s approach as “standard” in negotiations.
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This story has been corrected to show that Pete Skandalakis took over the case earlier this month.
