A 29-year-old Afghan refugee has been accused of shooting two National Guard members in a brutal attack near the White House, leaving one dead and another fighting for their life in critical condition.
The attack and its aftermath
Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly drove across the country from his home in Bellingham, Washington, to Washington DC before opening fire on Wednesday afternoon. According to law enforcement sources, he targeted the soldiers deliberately, firing first at one guardsman who was mere feet away before shooting another who attempted to take cover behind a bus stop shelter.
Both victims were shot in the head with a .357 revolver. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries on Thursday evening, while Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition. A third National Guard member reportedly subdued Lakanwal at the scene, with the suspect also sustaining gunshot wounds during the confrontation.
Quiet life in Washington state
Neighbours in Bellingham described Lakanwal as living a quiet and unassuming life since arriving in the United States in 2021. He resided in a sparsely furnished apartment with his wife and five children, where he was often seen playing Call of Duty and FIFA.
According to those who spoke with the New York Post, the family "never made a peep" and Lakanwal spoke limited English. The apartment reportedly contained no beds, with family members sleeping on couch cushions instead. His oldest child is 14 years old.
The Bellingham area where Lakanwal received housing following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was described by locals as "very welcoming, very diverse, very open."
Investigation and political fallout
About 16 hours after the attack, FBI agents raided Lakanwal's apartment, with neighbours reporting loud banging and agents shouting "FBI" as they kicked down his door. The motive for the ambush-style shooting remains unclear, and law enforcement sources told CNN that Lakanwal is not cooperating with police.
The case has sparked significant political controversy, with former CIA Director John Ratcliffe revealing that Lakanwal had direct links to the CIA through his work with US Special Forces in Kandahar. "The individual - and so many others - should have never been allowed to come here," Ratcliffe stated.
Former President Donald Trump blamed the Biden administration for bringing Lakanwal to the US in September 2021, calling him "a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan." However, records show that while the Biden administration initially allowed Lakanwal into the US as a refugee, his subsequent asylum application was granted by the Trump administration in April 2025.
DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed that both soldiers had been sworn into the West Virginia National Guard just days before the attack. Lakanwal initially faced charges including three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, though these may be upgraded following Beckstrom's death.
In response to the shooting, President Trump ordered an additional 500 troops to be deployed in DC, while US Citizenship and Immigration Services has indefinitely stopped processing all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals pending a review of security protocols.
