A barbaric killing in the nation’s capitol which left one National Guard soldier critically wounded, and another dead only blocks from the White House. Who is Rahmanullah Lakanwal? The suspected Afghan killer who allegedly terrorized Washington, DC on Wednesday.
Prosecutors also alleged that the Afghan refugee tried to buy even more guns before his attack on American troops on Nov. 26. The criminal complaint, filed in DC US District Court, brought the gun-related, assault and murder counts against the 29-year-old father of five for the shooting of West Virginia National Guard soldiers Sarah Beckstrom, who later died, and Andrew Wolfe, who is still recovering from his wounds.
Jeanine Pirro, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, said the case is transferred from Superior Court to the District Court in an escalation of possible consequences for the alleged shooter. The action “ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” Pirro said. “Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery.” The FBI revealed that Lakanwal purchased a stolen .357 magnum-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver for the shooting about two weeks before he drove across the country from his home in Bellingham, Wash.Rahmanullah Lakanwal on Tuesday was federally charged with obtaining a stolen .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, assaulting a National Guard soldier with intent to kill and first-degree premeditated murder of another.On Oct. 15, he also contacted an individual to “find” even more firearms for him — including an AR-15 rifle and a stockless, AK-47-style “Draco” pistol — but only ended up being able to get his hands on a revolver, the affidavit alleged.Northeast braces for second round of nasty weather following Christmas Lakanwal claimed he needed a gun “for protection in his vehicle as a Lyft and Uber driver,” but the person he discussed getting the weapons from noted he remarked of the revolver: “only five rounds?” On Nov. 15, he bought a box of .357 magnum-caliber rounds from Big 5 Sporting Goods in Bellingham, according to CCTV footage and a purchase receipt.Lakanwal claimed he needed a gun “for protection in his vehicle as a Lyft and Uber driver,” but the individual he discussed getting the weapons from noted he remarked of the revolver: “only five rounds?”” recovery at a nearby hospital, and Beckstrom, a 20-year-old Army specialist who died from the gunshot wound on Thanksgiving Day. The ambush attack, just two blocks from the White House, was also captured on video cameras, with Lakanwal shown “firing in the direction of Beckstrom and Wolfe,” both of whom were seen “collapsing on the ground” after, as well as “chasing and shooting” at another Guardsman. The FBI said Lakanwal “purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice, killed Beckstrom by shooting her in the head with a firearm” and “by shooting Wolfe in the head with a firearm … assaulted Wolfe with intent to kill him,” according to the seven-page filing.On Nov. 15, the alleged shooter bought a box of .357 caliber bullets from Big 5 Sporting Goods in Bellingham, according to CCTV footage and a purchase receipt.On Oct. 15, Lakanwal contacted an individual in his home state to “find” even more firearms for him — including an AR-15 rifle and a stockless, AK-47-style “Draco” pistol. The additional federal firearms charges included “transporting or receiving firearms in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent to commit an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year,” “transporting or shipping a stolen firearm in interstate or foreign commerce” and “possession of a firearm during crime of violence or dangerous offense.”DC prosecutors already indicted Lakanwal earlier this month for first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He pleaded not guilty.Lakanwal served as part of an elite, CIA-backed paramilitary force fighting against the Taliban before being evacuated to the US as part of “Operation Allies Welcome” under former President Joe Biden — following the chaotic and botched withdrawal of American forces from Kabul in August 2021. An ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 13 US service members during the final pullout from the capital city’s airport.was not fully vetted — and National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent has testified to Congress that of the roughly 88,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan,Guardsman Andrew Wolf, a 24-year-old Air Force staff sergeant, has since made a “miraculous” recovery at a nearby hospital.“These individuals, despite what has been reported, were not vetted properly to come into the United States,” Kent told members of the House Homeland Security Committee in a Dec. 11 hearing. “The individual terrorist who committed the attack in DC, he was vetted to serve as a soldier in Afghanistan.” Since coming into the country, Lakanwal served briefly as a Lyft driver until May 25, 2025, but “had been banned by Uber,” the affidavit stated. “According to an interview with another family member in November 2025, Lakanwal had not been employed for approximately two months prior to the shooting,” it also noted.US Customs and Border Protection was later able to track his vehicle passing through Washington State, Idaho and Illinois before arriving three days before the shooting in DC, the affidavit also alleged. The FBI “lawfully obtained location history data” from his cell phone showing him driving through Mishawaka, Ind., and coming into DC over the same time period.Moment doctor repeatedly punches patient is captured in shocking videoNicole Kidman returns to her roots with curly hair during visit home to AustraliaRahmanullah Lakanwal on Tuesday was federally charged with obtaining a stolen .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, assaulting a National Guard soldier with intent to kill and first-degree premeditated murder of another.Lakanwal claimed he needed a gun"for protection in his vehicle as a Lyft and Uber driver," but the individual he discussed getting the weapons from noted he remarked of the revolver: “only five rounds?”On Nov. 15, the alleged shooter bought a box of .357 caliber bullets from Big 5 Sporting Goods in Bellingham, according to CCTV footage and a purchase receipt.On Oct. 15, Lakanwal contacted an individual in his home state to"find" even more firearms for him — including an AR-15 rifle and a stockless, AK-47-style"Draco" pistol. Trump administration officials have since claimed that Lakanwal was not fully vetted to come to the US. Guardsman Andrew Wolf, a 24-year-old Air Force staff sergeant, has since made a"miraculous" recovery at a nearby hospital.Lorne Michaels desperately wanted Bowen Yang to stay on 'SNL' — but here's why unhappy star left in a hurry
US News Afghanistan DC National Guard Shooting 2025 Guns Murders Washington Dc
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Gunman in DC National Guard shooting faces new federal chargesCourt documents released Tuesday provide further details into the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., that left one guard member dead.
Read more »
New federal charges for alleged National Guard shooter bring possibility of death penaltyA man accused of shooting two National Guard troops near the White House is charged in a complaint with federal firearms charges over the ambush on November 26 that fatally wounded one of the West Virginia National Guard members and seriously injured the second.
Read more »
Suspect in national guard shooting faces new federal charges that allow death penalty discussionsA man accused of shooting two National Guard troops near the White House is charged in a complaint with federal firearms charges over the ambush on November 26 that fatally wounded one of the West Virginia National Guard members and seriously injured the second.
Read more »
Suspect in national guard shooting faces new federal charges that allow death penalty discussionsThe federal charges allow the prosecutors to deliberate whether the accused should face the death penalty.
Read more »
DC National Guard Shooting Update: New Federal Charges Open Door to Death PenaltyThe charges stem from a Nov. 26 attack that killed a 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard member wounded another Guardsman.
Read more »
Federal Charges Filed in National Guard Ambush Near White HouseRahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, faces federal firearms charges related to the fatal shooting of a National Guard member near the White House, with a second Guard member seriously injured.
Read more »