An Afghan refugee brought to the United States under a resettlement scheme has been charged with first-degree murder after a fatal shooting targeting National Guard members in Washington DC.
A Tragedy Unfolds Near the White House
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old father of five, allegedly opened fire on soldiers Andrew Wolfe, 24, and Sarah Beckstrom, 20, last Wednesday. The attack occurred near the White House. Tragically, Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving Day. Wolfe remains in a critical condition, fighting for his life.
A Descent into Isolation and Erratic Behaviour
Newly revealed emails, obtained by the Associated Press, paint a stark picture of Lakanwal's deteriorating mental state long before the attack. A community advocate detailed his struggles in a January 2024 email to the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI).
The advocate wrote that Lakanwal had "not been functional as a person, father and provider since March of last year." His behaviour reportedly involved alternating between locking himself in a darkened room for weeks, ignoring his wife and children, and embarking on manic, cross-country driving episodes to places like Chicago and Arizona.
His family in Bellingham, Washington state, where he resettled in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, faced severe hardship. At one point in 2023, they risked eviction due to unpaid rent. When his wife was away, the children were reportedly left unbathed and poorly fed, prompting concerns from their school.
Past Trauma and Questions of Radicalisation
Lakanwal's past in Afghanistan involved serving in a CIA-backed elite Afghan Army unit, known as a Zero Unit, which engaged in covert operations against the Taliban. A childhood friend told The New York Times the violence he witnessed "put a lot of pressure on his mind."
While the community advocate who knew him was stunned by the violence, citing memories of him playing with his sons, investigators are probing a different angle. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated officials "believe he was radicalised since he's been here in this country," potentially through connections in his local community.
Authorities say Lakanwal drove from his home in Bellingham to the nation's capital before allegedly carrying out the shooting with a .357 revolver. The USCRI attempted to contact him for assistance in March 2024 after the advocate's plea, but it is believed he refused further help.
