Charges against the man authorities say shot two National Guard members have been upgraded to first-degree murder following the death of one of the soldiers, the federal prosecutor’s office for the District of Columbia announced.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were hospitalized in critical condition after the shooting Wednesday afternoon in the nation’s capital. President Donald Trump announced Thursday night that Beckstrom had died.
The office of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro reported that Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, faces one count of first-degree murder, three counts of possession of a firearm during a violent crime, and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
Pirro stated there are “many more charges to come” in addition to the murder charge, which has been elevated to “murder.” She expressed sympathy for Beckstrom’s family, who volunteered to serve and “ended up being shot in an ambush on the cold streets of Washington, D.C., by an individual who will now be charged with first-degree murder.”
Pirro declined to discuss the suspect’s motive, stating that authorities have been working tirelessly on that question. Investigators continue to execute search warrants in the state of Washington, where the suspect lived, and in other parts of the country, she said.
She added that Wolfe remains in critical condition and that “we still have hope.”
“We are doing everything we can to help his family and ensure they have everything they need during this difficult time,” Pirro said.
Those who knew Lakanwal say he served in a CIA-backed Afghan army unit before immigrating to the United States. Lakanwal worked in one of the special Zero Units in the southern province of Kandahar, according to a resident of the eastern Afghan province of Khost who identified himself as Lakanwal’s cousin. He said Lakanwal was originally from the province and that his brother had also worked in the unit.
The cousin spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
He explained that Lakanwal began working as a security guard for the unit in 2012 and was later promoted to team leader and GPS specialist. A former unit official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said Lakanwal’s brother was a platoon leader.
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans following the U.S. withdrawal from the country, according to authorities. Lakanwal applied for asylum during the Biden administration, but his request was approved during the Trump administration, according to a statement from #AfghanEvac.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been living in Bellingham, Washington, about 80 miles north of Seattle, with his wife and five children, according to his former landlord, Kristina Widman.
In his speech to troops Thursday, Trump said Lakanwal “went crazy. I mean, he went crazy.”
The president called Beckstrom an “incredible person, exceptional in every way.” The White House said he spoke with her parents after his remarks.
Beckstrom enlisted in 2023, the same year she graduated from high school, and served with distinction as a military police officer in the 863rd Military Police Company, according to a statement from the West Virginia National Guard.
“She exemplified leadership, dedication, and professionalism,” the statement said, adding that Beckstrom “volunteered to serve in Operation D.C. Safe and Beautiful, helping to ensure the security of our nation’s capital.”
Trump used the announcement to call the shooting a “terrorist attack” and criticized the Biden administration for allowing Afghans who collaborated with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan war to enter the United States.
The initiative brought approximately 76,000 people to the country, many of whom had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators.
Since then, it has faced intense scrutiny from Trump and others over allegations of flaws in the vetting process, despite advocates saying a thorough investigation was conducted and the program provided a lifeline to those at risk of Taliban retaliation.
On Wednesday night, Trump called for all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration to be re-vetted. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow said the agency would take additional steps to screen individuals from 19 “high-risk” countries “to the fullest extent possible.”
Edlow did not name the countries, but in June, the administration banned travel to the U.S. for citizens of 12 countries and restricted access for seven others, citing national security concerns.
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