The suspected gunman who shot two National Guard members in Washington DC on Wednesday had ties to CIA-backed military units during the US war in Afghanistan, the agency has confirmed. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, came to the US in September 2021 under a programme for Afghans who worked for the US government, and was granted asylum in April this year.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed Lakanwal's involvement with the agency, stating he was a member of a partner force in Kandahar, a Taliban stronghold. The New York Times reported that Lakanwal worked for several US government agencies in Afghanistan, including CIA-backed counterterrorism squads known as 'zero units'.
The two victims were identified as Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, both members of the West Virginia National Guard. Beckstrom died from her injuries on Thursday, while Wolfe remains in critical condition. Both had been sworn into service less than 24 hours before the attack.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Lakanwal drove from his home in Bellingham, Washington, to carry out a 'brazen and targeted' assault. He used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, shooting one guard member twice before firing at the second. Other guards at the scene neutralised the suspect, who is now under arrest and being treated in hospital.
Lakanwal faces three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Charges could be upgraded to first-degree murder if the victims do not survive. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism, and has executed search warrants at the suspect's home in Washington and in San Diego.
President Donald Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington DC following the attack. He blamed the Biden administration for failing to vet Afghan migrants properly and called for a review of asylum and green card applications from Afghanistan.
