An Afghan national who worked with the CIA in his native country and immigrated to the U.S. in 2021 drove from Washington state to shoot two West Virginia National Guard members deployed in Washington, D.C., just blocks from the White House, U.S. officials said Thursday.

The suspect had worked in a special CIA-backed Afghan Army unit before emigrating from Afghanistan, according to a cousin who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, declined to provide a motive for Wednesday afternoon's brazen act of violence, which comes as the presence of troops in the nation’s capital and other cities around the country has become a political flashpoint.

Pirro identified the guard members at a news conference as Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24.

Both remained hospitalized in critical condition.

Pirro said that the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, launched an “ambush-style” attack with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver.

The suspect currently faces charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Pirro said that “it's too soon to say” what the suspect's motives were.

The rare shooting of National Guard members on American soil, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes amid court fights 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.

The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington.

The 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 AP on condition of anonymity.