National Guard Members Identified in DC Terror Attack Near White House
Washington, DC – Authorities in the United States have officially identified the two National Guard members wounded in a shooting incident in Washington, D.C., which the FBI is now treating as an act of terrorism. The distressing event unfolded just blocks away from the iconic White House.
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro disclosed the names of the injured service members: 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe. Both are members of the West Virginia National Guard and had been deployed to the nation's capital as part of President Donald Trump's stated anti-crime initiative. Following emergency surgery, both individuals remain in critical condition, fighting for their lives.
Details Emerge on Attacker and Investigation
Pirro detailed the nature of the ambush-style attack, explaining that a “lone gunman opened fire without provocation, ambush style, armed with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver.” The alleged assailant has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national. Lakanwal reportedly entered the U.S. in 2021, shortly after the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan. A resident of Washington state, he is believed to have driven across the country prior to the assault.
Lakanwal currently faces three counts of assault with intent to kill and a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. He is also hospitalized for wounds sustained during the incident, which officials believe are not life-threatening. U.S. Attorney Pirro indicated that these charges could be elevated, potentially to include murder, should either National Guard member succumb to their injuries.
Kash Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), confirmed the agency's investigation into the shooting as an act of “terrorism.” A search warrant has since been executed at Lakanwal’s residence. Earlier, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the gravity of the situation on Fox News, urging public prayer for the two Guardsmen and vowing that if the victims do not survive, “we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that man.”
Political Fallout and Immigration Scrutiny
This brazen attack exacerbates the ongoing controversy surrounding President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., and other major U.S. cities. While the President justifies the deployment as essential to combat high crime rates in the capital, critics argue it represents an inflammatory display of force, unsuited to the federal district's actual needs. A recent judicial ruling had even deemed Trump's National Guard deployment illegal, though its enforcement was temporarily delayed until December 11. In response to Thursday's violence, the Trump administration promptly augmented the existing 2,200 military personnel in Washington, D.C., by ordering an additional 500 National Guard soldiers.
The incident has also cast a harsh spotlight on immigration policies concerning Afghan nationals. The Trump administration swiftly announced plans to “re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under [Former President Joe] Biden.” Concurrently, all processing of “immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals” has been temporarily halted.
Officials from the Trump administration have used the attack to reignite criticism of the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan, which followed a deal struck between Trump and the Taliban during his first term. Following the withdrawal, Operation Allies Welcome saw approximately 77,000 Afghans, many of whom had collaborated with U.S. and Western forces for decades, relocated to the United States.
Attacker's Past and Community Fears
Adding a complex layer to the narrative, John Ratcliffe, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), released a statement confirming that Lakanwal had previously worked with the agency “as a member of a partner force” in Kandahar, a former Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan, before his arrival in the U.S.
The attack has predictably ignited fear among Afghan evacuees already residing in the U.S. and those still hoping to relocate from Afghanistan. These communities were already grappling with the Trump administration's stringent refugee and asylum policies. Many Afghans who aided U.S. and Western forces face severe reprisal threats from the current Taliban government.
Shawn VanDiver, president of the AfghanEvac humanitarian advocacy group, issued a plea for restraint, urging “the media, elected leaders and decision-makers and other people of influence not to demonize the Afghan community for the deranged choice this person made.” Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that “the entire Afghan community must not be punished due to the actions of one individual. That would be terribly unjust and complete nonsense. Cool heads must prevail.”
