Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of killing a US National Guard member just blocks from the White House, made his first court appearance virtually from a hospital bed, where he was formally charged with murder, assault with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm during a violent crime. Prosecutors say Lakanwal repeatedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” while firing at the soldiers and attempting to reload his weapon. The sudden attack on November 26 left 20-year-old US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom dead and critically injured 24-year-old US Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, prompting Washington’s mayor to describe the shooting as a deliberate and targeted act of violence. Witness accounts in the court filings indicate that Lakanwal continued to pursue another National Guard member before being subdued by troops as he tried to reload.
During the hearing, Lakanwal appeared via video, lying in a hospital bed and speaking through an interpreter, claiming intense pain and stating that he was unable to open his eyes. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. Investigators are now working to determine the motive behind what prosecutors have called an ambush-style assault, and they have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges, including federal terrorism-related counts. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that once Lakanwal’s medical condition stabilizes, he will be transferred to a correctional facility equipped to address his health needs. She also confirmed that Attorney General Pam Bondi will decide whether federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
Court documents note that Lakanwal served in the CIA-backed Zero Units in Afghanistan before guarding Kabul airport during the final days of the US withdrawal in 2021. He entered the United States under Operation Allies Welcome and was granted asylum later, despite recent political debate about the vetting of arrivals from Afghanistan. In the aftermath of the shooting, President Donald Trump denounced the attack as an act of terrorism, sharply criticised the Biden administration for resettling Afghans who had worked with US forces, and renewed calls for an indefinite halt to migration from poorer countries along with mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
