Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was charged with murder and additional offenses after allegedly ambushing two National Guard members in downtown Washington, D.C., last week.
A judge ordered Lakanwal held in custody without bond, citing the “sheer terror” of the shooting blocks from the White House.
The big picture: Lakanwal made his first court appearance remotely from a hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown and appearing to struggle to keep his eyes open, with a translator recounting proceedings.
- Prosecutors allege Lakanwal traveled 3,000 miles from Washington state to the U.S. capital with a specific purpose to carry out the attack.
- The complaint states he yelled “Allahu akbar!” as he fired at National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, who were in D.C. supporting law enforcement under President Donald Trump’s crackdown on crime.
- Beckstrom died the following day, and Wolfe was critically injured.
- Lakanwal faces four criminal counts, including first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill while armed.
Driving the news: Lakanwal, an Afghan national, entered the U.S. in 2021 under a resettlement program for Afghans who assisted the U.S. military, and was granted asylum under Trump.
- His status as an Afghan immigrant quickly became a flashpoint in Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown.
- A major in the Army National Guard shot and subdued Lakanwal, with help from other National Guard members and a U.S. Secret Service officer.
