During his first appearance in court virtually from a hospital bed, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghan national who carried out the shooting, was charged with murder, assault with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm during a violent crime.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who shot two US National Guard members near the White House last week, reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” while firing and reloading his gun, according to court documents. Following the incident, prosecutors have charged the 29-year-old Afghan national with murder, assault with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm during a violent crime.
The November 26 shooting, which occurred just blocks from the White House, has been described as a brazen act of violence, with the mayor of Washington D.C. calling it a targeted attack.
The incident, which took place the day before Thanksgiving, claimed the life of 20-year-old US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, while her colleague, US Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe (24), remains in critical condition.
On Tuesday, Lakanwal, who was also shot during the confrontation, attended his first court appearance in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia virtually from a hospital bed.
Through an interpreter, the Afghan national – who previously served in the Zero Units, CIA-backed strike forces that fought the Taliban and later guarded Kabul airport during the final days of the 2021 US withdrawal – pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges, adding that he was in pain and unable to open his eyes.
Meanwhile, documents presented by the prosecutors revealed that a National Guard member heard gunshots and saw Beckstrom and Wolfe fall to the ground as Lakanwal fired a gun and screamed, “Allahu Akbar.”
Lakanwal chased after and shot at another Guard member before troops detained him as he tried to reload his gun, it added.
Authorities are investigating a possible motive for what they described as an ambush-style attack.
After the hearing, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Lakanwal will be taken to a correctional facility that can address his “medical concerns” once he is well enough to leave the hospital.
Pirro said he could face additional charges in federal court as the investigation continues. Attorney General Pam Bondi ultimately will decide whether to seek the death penalty in the case.
Officials said Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration programme that resettled Afghans following the Taliban takeover of Kabul. He applied for asylum when former President Jo Biden was in office, but his application was approved under the Trump administration.
President Trump labeled the shooting a “terrorist attack” and criticised the Biden administration for allowing Afghans who had worked with US forces in Afghanistan to enter the country.
He also reiterated his call to “permanently pause migration” from poorer nations and to expel millions of immigrants from the US.
