USA Shots fired at National Guard - suspect charged
Following the fatal shooting of two National Guardsmen in the US capital Washington, the suspect has been charged with murder. He has also been charged with assault and weapons violations, according to US media reports. The alleged perpetrator was reportedly connected to the court hearing via video from the hospital. The man pleaded not guilty.
02.12.2025, 21:24
SDA
Last week, two National Guardsmen were shot just a few blocks from the White House. One of the two, a young woman from the state of West Virginia, succumbed to her injuries. The other National Guardsman recently showed signs of recovery. The 29-year-old suspect was overpowered and shot himself in the process.
Motive still unclear
US Attorney General Pam Bondi had announced before the death of the National Guardswoman that she would seek the death penalty for the man if the soldier died.
The motive for the crime is still unclear. The suspect comes from Afghanistan. According to media reports, he is said to have had psychological problems. These were due to fighting in Afghanistan, where he had been in an Afghan special forces unit sponsored by the US foreign intelligence service CIA.
According to the New York Times, representatives of the Islamist Taliban, who rule Afghanistan, as well as human rights groups, described this unit as a "death squad". It was responsible for extrajudicial executions and abductions, indiscriminate airstrikes and attacks on medical facilities.
Suspect came to the USA in 2021
CIA Director John Ratcliffe explained that the suspect had worked in Kandahar for partner organizations of the US military there and had also worked for the US government and the CIA. He is said to have entered the USA in 2021 via the "Operation Allies Welcome" program.
Following the incident, US President Donald Trump described refugees as the main cause of social problems in the USA. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that all asylum decisions would be suspended for the time being. The US State Department also announced that visas would no longer be issued for people traveling with Afghan passports. Human rights activists warned that the attack was being politically exploited.
