Video recorded by ABC News photographer Chris Plater captured the first chaotic moments after gunfire erupted. Plater, who was near the Metro stop for an unrelated assignment, initially mistook the sound of shots for construction noise. “I went forward to see what was going on,” he said. “I saw two National Guard members down, and people working on them, providing first aid.” His footage shows bystanders rushing away from the station while others crouch over the wounded soldiers.
Stacey Walters, who was traveling in a rideshare vehicle on 17th Street at the time, told ABC News she heard two loud reports—“boom, boom”—and noticed pedestrians fleeing in different directions. “My driver asked why everyone was running,” Walters recalled. “I looked up from my phone and saw an adult telling small children to run.” Moments later, a law-enforcement officer ordered the driver to turn around and leave the area.
Witness accounts describe a brief but intense burst of gunfire that sent commuters, tourists and office workers scattering through Farragut Square, a park that sits between the Metro station and the White House complex. “There was a lot of screaming,” one witness said in Plater’s video. “People didn’t know where the shots were coming from.”
Authorities closed portions of 17th Street NW and sealed several Metro entrances while bomb-sniffing dogs and tactical units swept the surrounding blocks. Service on the Metro’s Blue, Orange and Silver lines was briefly disrupted as transit police searched trains and platforms for any additional threats. By late afternoon, roads and rail service had largely reopened, although officers maintained a visible presence through the evening commute.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her agency is coordinating with local and federal partners to piece together the sequence of events. “Our priority is the safety of the public and the well-being of the wounded service members,” she stated. DHS officials are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses in an effort to determine whether the shooter had been tracking the soldiers prior to the attack.
Imagem: Internet
Farragut West sits roughly two blocks west of the White House grounds and serves thousands of commuters daily. National Guard personnel are a common sight in the area, often assigned to traffic control or ceremonial duties. A law-enforcement official familiar with the investigation said both victims were wearing standard duty uniforms at the time of the shooting.
While police declined to discuss the weapon recovered, ballistic specialists from the ATF were seen collecting shell casings near the station’s 17th Street entrance. Results from forensic analysis are expected to be shared with the FBI’s Washington Field Office to help determine whether the firearm has been linked to any other crimes.
Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office issued a statement urging the public to cooperate with investigators by providing photos or video taken in the vicinity between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The Metropolitan Police Department set up a tip line and offered a reward for information leading to a conviction.
Officials have not released the names of the injured service members pending notification of their families. Both remain in critical condition, hospital representatives confirmed late Wednesday. Further updates on their medical status are expected as they undergo treatment.
Investigators said it could take several days to complete a full reconstruction of the shooting. In the meantime, security around federal buildings and transportation hubs in central Washington has been heightened, though authorities emphasized there is no current indication of a broader threat.
Crédito da imagem: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
