We were just leaving the Renwick Museum, located a block from the White House, when suddenly there were sirens coming from all directions and officers from multiple branches of law enforcement everywhere — Secret Service, FBI, US Marshalls Service, DEA, Metro Transit Crime Scene Police, Federal Protective Service, ATF and DC Metropolitan Police as well as the National Guard. Nobody knew what was going on, but officers were trying to get all of us on the sidewalk safely out of the way and away from the crime scene. We later learned that two National Guardsmen from West Virginia had been shot and critically injured (although earlier reports said they were killed) while on duty outside the Farragut West Metro Station and were apparently targeted by the gunman, who was also shot and taken into custody. We had actually seen two Guardsmen at the station when we drove by earlier looking for a parking place. This picture was taken eight minutes after the shooting occurred.

The reason why DC vacuums up leaves on Capitol Hill, posted earlier: