In a surprising turn of events, a man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House pleaded not guilty to charges, including first-degree murder, during his initial court appearance held virtually from his hospital room Tuesday.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghani suspect who was himself injured in the shooting incident, appeared on screen wrapped in a blanket in his hospital bed. He followed the proceedings with the help of an interpreter.
Reportedly, Lakanwal traveled 3,000 miles from Washington State to D.C. to commit the crime. Under the influence of intense feelings, he allegedly shot at the National Guard members shouting Allahu Akbar! while wielding a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, as per the court documents released.
In the chaos, the National Guard members fought back; they shot Lakanwal who then fell. As he attempted to reload, another soldier tackled him to prevent further violence.
Sadly, one of the Guards, 20-year-old U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, succumbed to her wounds—a devastating blow as she suffered a severe gunshot wound to the head. Another guard, identified as Andrew Wolfe, age 24, remains in critical condition. Both officers were among nearly 2,200 National Guard members called to Washington, D.C., following President Trump’s declaration of a crime emergency in the city.
During the court hearing, facilitated by a public defender, Lakanwal expressed limited statements through the interpreter, mainly expressing discomfort and pain, as opposed to engaging fully. Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond ordered his detention without bail, citing the overwhelming fear surrounding this attack.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, indicated that additional federal charges might be brought against Lakanwal, emphasizing that the incident is being probed as a potential act of terrorism. Addressing the media post-hearing, Pirro remarked, This individual was brought into this country through the generosity of the American people and government, and he betrayed us with his alleged actions.
The daylight shooting mere hours before Thanksgiving sent ripples of fear throughout the nation’s capital and prompted President Trump to intensify measures against millions of migrants from less affluent countries.
Lakanwal, who came to the U.S. in September 2021 following the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, had been residing with his wife and five children in Bellingham, Washington. Prior to his immigration, he worked alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan, serving in a specialized counterterrorism unit backed by the CIA, according to AfghanEvac, a nonprofit focused on relocating Afghan nationals.
Among the estimated 86,000 Afghans relocated due to their collaborations with U.S. forces or jeopardy, he was admitted under a temporary status known as final humanitarian parole.
For further details, you can reach out to C. Ryan Barber at ryan.barber@wsj.com and Sadie Gurman at sadie.gurman@wsj.com
