"WASHINGTON (AP) - An Afghan national has been accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence at a time when the presence of troops in the nation's capital and other cities around the country has become a political flashpoint. And on Thursday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the shooting suspect worked with the CIA and U.S. government in Afghanistan before coming to the U.S."
"Prior to his 2021 arrival in the United States, the suspect worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, "as a member of a partner force in Kandahar," John Ratcliffe, the spy agency's director, said in a statement. He did not specify what work Lakamal did, but said the relationship "ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation" of U.S. servicemembers from Afghanistan."
An Afghan national allegedly shot two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House and the victims were hospitalized in critical condition. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey retracted an early report that the troops had died after receiving conflicting information. FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed the guardsmen's serious injuries. Attorney General Pam Bondi said charges will depend on the victims' prognosis and vowed to seek the death penalty if they die. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the suspect worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, as part of a partner force in Kandahar, with ties ending after the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan. The shooting occurred amid debates over National Guard deployments in U.S. cities.
Read at Fortune
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]