2 National Guardsmen injured by lightning striking Lafayette Square

Two members of the District of Columbia National Guard were injured during a lightning strike late Thursday at Lafayette Square near the White House, officials announced. 

National Guard troops have been in the area this week amid demonstrations over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.

The U.S. Park Police said Friday that the two injured guardsmen were immediately attended to by medics on the scene and taken to a local hospital with “non life threatening injuries.”

“Let’s keep them in our prayers and wish them a speedy recovery,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) tweeted Friday, thanking the guardsmen for their service.

Our @DCGuard1802 had two members hurt by a lightning strike last night. Let’s keep them in our prayers and wish them a speedy recovery. Thank you for your service to the residents of the District of Columbia. https://t.co/BdA774jBf8

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) June 5, 2020

The D.C. area experienced several rounds of intense thunderstorms Thursday night as members of the National Guard patrolled the area near the National Mall. Right before the incident, lightning was also captured on video striking the Washington Monument.

WOAH! Look at this lightning caught on video by Sky9! https://t.co/sTN1eCtqfB pic.twitter.com/EptFQpR8ub

— WUSA9 (@wusa9) June 5, 2020

Earlier this week, President Trump mobilized National Guard troops to D.C. after protests continued in the city for multiple days, including near the White House.

Bowser on Friday requested that the president “withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence” from the nation’s capital.

In a letter to Trump on Friday morning, Bowser announced that she had “ended the state of emergency in the District of Columbia related to demonstrations.”