Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to first-degree murder and related charges in the fatal shooting of National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and the attempted murder of another soldier near the White House. Appearing via video link from his hospital bed where he is recovering from gunshot wounds, Lakanwal entered the plea before a federal magistrate judge in Washington.
The November 26 attack occurred as Beckstrom and fellow West Virginia National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe were conducting routine patrol duties outside a downtown metro station. According to the criminal complaint, Lakanwal suddenly opened fire while shouting “Allahu Akbar,” fatally striking Beckstrom and leaving Wolfe in critical condition. A third Guardsman returned fire, wounding and subduing Lakanwal as he attempted to reload.
Lakanwal, who entered the United States through the 2021 Afghan resettlement program after serving in a CIA-backed anti-Taliban unit, now faces the death penalty. Attorney General Pam Bondi has confirmed that federal prosecutors will seek capital punishment, citing the premeditated nature of the ambush that shocked the nation just before Thanksgiving.
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In the wake of the shooting, the Trump administration immediately suspended all Afghan visas and halted processing of Afghan asylum cases. Officials have pointed to alleged vetting failures during the Biden-era evacuation, despite Lakanwal having been granted formal asylum in April 2025 under the current administration.
The case has intensified national security concerns, particularly as a separate Afghan national in Texas was charged this week with threatening to carry out a suicide bombing. The Justice Department stated that 30-year-old Mohammad Dawood Alokozay posted videos praising the Taliban and vowing attacks on Americans, prompting his swift arrest by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Also Read: FBI Probes Motive Behind White House-Area Shooting That Critically Hurt Soldiers