Rahmanullah Lakanwal pleads not guilty in US National Guard shooting

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and assault in Washington, D.C., on December 2, 2025. He is accused of fatally shooting National Guard specialist Sarah Beckstrom and wounding Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe. The shooting occurred on Wednesday, prompting a judge to order Lakanwal held without bond, citing "sheer terror" caused by the incident. Prosecutors allege Lakanwal traveled from Washington state to carry out the attack, yelling "Allahu akbar!" during the shooting. Lakanwal, who previously served with a CIA-trained unit in Afghanistan, was reportedly despondent after being evacuated from Afghanistan in 2021, leading to concerns about his mental state.

Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, stated that Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in the Washington DC national guard shooting, was "radicalized" in the US. Lakanwal, age 29, was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration after working with CIA-backed units in Afghanistan. He arrived in the US in September 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome. Noem blamed the Biden administration for the shooting, despite Lakanwal's asylum approval occurring during the previous administration. She also criticized "activist" judges for allegedly defying court orders related to deportation flights.