(NEXSTAR) — Two National Guard service members are alive and in critical condition after being shot near the White House, federal and D.C. city officials said in a Wednesday press conference. National Guard soldiers were on "high visibility" patrol near 17th and I Streets NW, a few blocks from the White House, when a suspect approached and opened fire around 2:15 p.m., Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll said. After hearing the gunfire, other troops in the area ran over and held down the shooter after he was shot, Carroll said. “It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll said, adding that it was not clear whether one of the Guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect. “At this point, we have no other suspects,” Carroll said at a news conference. Two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter said the suspect was believed to be an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021 and has been living in Washington state. The suspect has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, they said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. At least one of the Guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. Both the two victims and the suspect were taken to a local hospital to be treated for their injuries. The suspect's wounds were not expected 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. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially said Wednesday afternoon that the service members, both from his state, had died. He later said his office was "now receiving conflicting reports about the condition" of the soldiers. "This was an act of unspeakable violence. Our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers go out to the brave service members, their families, and the units who are enduring this terrible tragedy," Morrisey later said in a video statement released on his YouTube channel. President Donald Trump, who was at his West Palm Beach golf course when the shooting occurred, said that the National Guard members had been "severely wounded" and that the suspect "is also severely wounded." In a post to Truth Social, he added that the suspect "will pay a very steep price." The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington following the shooting. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump asked him to send the extra soldiers. There are currently 2,188 troops assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government’s latest update. FBI Director Kash Patel said the service members were "brazenly attacked in a horrendous act of violence." Investigators were still trying to determine the gunman's motive, including whether the suspect was targeting the troops for any specific reason, the official said. "This is a targeted shooting," D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said. The presence of the National Guard in the nation’s capital has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling 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. More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed to Washington in August. Last week, about 160 of them volunteered to extend their deployment until the end of the year while the others returned to West Virginia just over a week ago. The Associated Press contributed to this report.