To watch Senator Capito’s update click here or on the image above.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined FOX News Channel’s “Special Report” to offer support for the two West Virginia National Guardsmen shot in a targeted attack in Washington, D.C. today. She also thanked the nation for coming together in prayer for the guardsmen and their families.

SENATOR CAPITO’S UPDATE:

ON THE ATTACK: “This is a very tough day for West Virginians and across the nation. The West Virginia National Guard is a tight-knit family. Many live in our neighborhoods and are our friends. We’re reaching out tonight to send our prayers and thoughts to their families and to the Guard family in general. Those two brave individuals who are fighting for their life right now, we are praying on this Thanksgiving that we have some good news…but they were targeted. They’re peacekeepers. They were sent to Washington to help maintain the peace in our nation’s capital, which from the last report, you can see the [crime] statistics are down. Yet, someone targeted them, shot them, while they were surrounded by other National Guard members. It is a really sad day in West Virginia.”

ON CRIME IN D.C.: “As I’ve been walking around D.C. since the deployment of the Guard and I’ve stopped to talk to many from Louisiana, West Virginia to find out how it’s been going…They’re on patrol…they’re letting the Metropolitan Police have more time and manpower. This is such a tragedy. It’s our capital city and we want it to be safe. We have families and children and dignitaries every day in Washington. It should be a source of pride and safe, and it has been safer because of the great service of people like our National Guard.”

ON THE NATIONAL GUARD’S PRESENCE IN D.C.: “What we’ve seen across the nation is that several governors have welcomed the support, for instance in Memphis and other cities. Going into a state needs to be in coordination with the governors and others. But in our nation’s capital, the results speak for themselves. The danger our guardsmen have been in and are in in D.C. has come to light today in a very abrupt and serious and sad way. Yes, our cities should be safe. They should be beacons of freedom where you can recreate and work, where you have a sense of not just pride, but safety. A lot of our big cities do not have that and President Trump has put that as…one of the main reasons he’s seeking to keep our cities safe. I do believe in the mission.”

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