Refugee Communities on Edge Following Washington D.C. Shooting
Organisations dedicated to supporting refugees across the United States are voicing profound alarm about a potential wave of xenophobia and backlash, following an incident in Washington, D.C. where authorities state an Afghan national opened fire on two National Guard soldiers. The attack has sent shockwaves through Afghan communities, with many now reportedly too frightened to leave their homes.
Community Terror and Condemnation of Xenophobia
Shawn VanDiver, president of the San Diego-based advocacy group #AfghanEvac, described a climate of fear gripping many Afghans living in America. He confirmed that individuals are terrified of being targeted by immigration officials or subjected to hate-fuelled attacks in the wake of the shooting. "They're terrified. It's insane," VanDiver told The Associated Press on Thursday 27 November 2025. "People are acting xenophobic because of one deranged man. He doesn't represent all Afghans. He represents himself."
Details of the Attack and the Alleged Perpetrator
Officials have identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29. He allegedly drove from his home in Bellingham, Washington, to the nation's capital, where he shot two members of the West Virginia National Guard who were deployed in Washington, D.C. The two soldiers, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remained hospitalised in a critical condition as of Thursday.
According to information from #AfghanEvac and two anonymous sources, Lakanwal had previously worked in a special CIA-backed Afghan Army unit before he emigrated from Afghanistan. The group also stated that he applied for asylum during the Biden administration and his application was approved this year after he underwent a thorough vetting process.
Political Fallout and Calls for Perspective
In the aftermath of the violence, President Donald Trump announced that his administration would review everyone who entered the country from Afghanistan under former President Joe Biden. This was a measure his team had reportedly been planning even before this week's events.
Refugee support groups now fear a widespread sentiment of guilt by association. Ambassador Ashraf Haidari, founder of Displaced International, emphasised the need for a thorough investigation and justice for the victims. However, he urged that "one individual’s alleged actions cannot be allowed to define, burden, or endanger entire communities who had no part in this tragedy."
Echoing this sentiment, Matthew Soerens, a vice president with the Christian humanitarian organisation World Relief, asserted that the person responsible must face justice under the law. "Regardless of the alleged perpetrator’s nationality, religion or specific legal status, though," he said, "we urge our country to recognize these evil actions as those of one person, not to unfairly judge others who happen to share those same characteristics."
