Charges against Rahmanullah Lakanwal have been upgraded to first-degree murder after National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom died from a shooting near the White House. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition. The suspect, an Afghan national who worked with the CIA, entered the U.S. in 2021, prompting President Trump to label the incident a 'terrorist attack' and criticize immigration policies, while investigators seek a motive.
A tragic shooting near the White House resulted in the death of National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and left Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, in critical condition. Following Beckstrom's death, charges against the accused shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, have been upgraded to first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. Lakanwal, an Afghan national who previously worked with the CIA during the Afghanistan War, entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, with his asylum approved under the Trump administration. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed 'many charges to come' and that investigators are actively seeking a motive, executing warrants in Lakanwal's home state of Washington and other locations. President Donald Trump condemned the shooting as a 'terrorist attack,' criticizing the Biden administration's Afghan resettlement program and reiterating his desire for a 'permanent pause' on migration and mass deportations. Beckstrom and Wolfe were deployed as part of Trump’s crime-fighting initiative that federalized the D.C. police force. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the troops, leading a prayer for the victims, while West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey ordered state flags to half-staff, noting Wolfe remains in 'very critical condition.' Lakanwal, who lived in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children, was described by neighbors as polite, quiet, and struggling to find work, having briefly worked as an independent contractor for Amazon Flex. He reportedly 'disappeared' two weeks prior to the incident.
