Afghan National Suspect in White House Guard Shooting Had CIA Ties; Victims Identified, Terrorism Probe Continues
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national with past CIA ties, shot two National Guard members near the White House. The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism.
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Overview
- Two West Virginia National Guard members, Spc. Sarah Beckstrom (20) and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe (24), were critically wounded in an ambush-style shooting near the White House in D.C.
- Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, drove cross-country for the attack with a .357 revolver, exchanging gunfire with a Guardsman before his apprehension.
- FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the agency is investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism, though authorities currently have no determined motive for the targeted attack.
- Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. in September 2021 and applied for asylum in 2024, had prior ties to the CIA that ended after the August 2021 Afghanistan evacuation.
- Lakanwal faces assault with intent to kill charges, potentially upgraded to murder. President Trump ordered more Guard members and halted Afghan immigration, blaming Biden for the entry.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally by presenting factual information about the shooting, the suspect's background, and the subsequent political and policy reactions without adopting a biased stance. They attribute strong rhetoric to specific individuals and provide context on immigration programs, including diverse perspectives on the issue.
"The rare shooting of National Guard members on American soil, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes amid court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem."
Military Times"The soldiers had been on a high-visibility patrol near the corner of 17th and I streets, an area where many office workers mill around at lunchtime."
BBC News"The Nov. 26 attack a short distance from the White House left both the National Guard members in critical condition, according to FBI Director Kash Patel."
USA TODAY"The rare shooting of National Guard members on American soil, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes amid court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem."
Military Times"Two families are shattered and destroyed and torn apart as the result of the actions of one man."
NPR"Two National Guard members from West Virginia remain in critical condition after a gunman opened fire on them in an apparent "targeted shooting" near the White House."
ABC News"The brazen daytime shooting of two National Guard members in the nation’s capital by a man authorities said is an Afghan national has raised multiple questions."
Chicago Tribune"The rare shooting of National Guard members on American soil, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes amid court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem."
Chicago Tribune"The two wounded Guard members were in critical condition at local hospitals, FBI Director Kash Patel said."
USA TODAY"The US has suspended processing all immigration requests from Afghans, after an Afghan man was identified as the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House."
BBC News"The brazen daytime shooting of two National Guard members in the nation's capital by a man authorities said is an Afghan national has raised multiple questions."
ABC News"The announcement came shortly after the Department of Homeland Security announced publicly that the suspected shooter — who was shot by a Guard member and is now in custody — was a man named Rahmanullah Lakanwal who entered the U.S. in 2021 under a Biden-era initiative for Afghans called Operation Allies Welcome."
CBS News"The suspect appeared to be "a lone gunman that raised the firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard" as they patrolled near a mass transit station in downtown D.C."
CBS News"The brazen daytime shooting of two National Guard members in the nation’s capital by a man authorities said is an Afghan national has raised multiple questions."
Associated Press"The rare shooting of National Guard members on American soil, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes amid court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem."
Associated Press"Details of what a re-examination of Afghans already in the U.S. would look like, and who arrived during the Biden administration, were not immediately clear Wednesday night."
NBC News"The suspect in the Washington, D.C., shooting that critically wounded two National Guard members was an Afghan national who served alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan, officials and a relative say."
NBC News"Trump’s remarks were a signal that scrutiny of migrants and the nation’s borders will only increase."
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FAQ
The victims were two West Virginia National Guard members: Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, aged 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, aged 24, both critically wounded in the attack.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021, applied for asylum in 2024, and had prior ties to the CIA that ceased following the Afghanistan evacuation in August 2021.
The FBI is investigating the shooting as a potential act of terrorism, with no confirmed motive yet. Lakanwal faces assault with intent to kill charges, which could be upgraded to murder.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal used a .357 revolver in the ambush-style shooting near the White House.
President Trump ordered the deployment of additional National Guard members and halted Afghan immigration, criticizing the Biden administration for allowing Lakanwal into the country.
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