Blab News
Afghan National Faces 17-Count Indictment in Washington D.C. Guard Shooting, Death-Penalty Eligible
A 30‑year‑old Afghan national has been charged with 17 federal offenses that could make him eligible for the death penalty after a shooting near the White House left a U.S. Guard soldier dead and several others wounded.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a superseding indictment that was unsealed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) just hours before his arraignment in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The new indictment expands the charges against him for the November 26, 2025 incident that occurred at about 2:13 p.m. on 17th and I Streets NW, a block from the White House and close to the Farragut West Metro Station.
According to the DOJ, Lakanwal drove a Toyota Prius from Bellingham, Washington, to Washington, D.C., carrying a stolen .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle in 2023. He allegedly opened fire without provocation at two West Virginia National Guard soldiers who were on duty. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed, Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 25, was seriously wounded, and two other Guardsmen sustained injuries.
The superseding indictment lists 17 counts, including first‑degree murder and the murder of a person assisting an officer and employee of the United States. It also charges Lakanwal with possession of a firearm and other related offenses. Because of the gravity of the new allegations, the DOJ’s Capital Case Committee has been tasked with reviewing whether the death penalty will be sought. The DOJ has not yet announced a decision on the penalty.
Lakanwal entered the United States after the fall of Afghanistan in 2021. He previously served in a CIA‑backed Afghan paramilitary unit known as a “Zero Unit,” which was tasked with hunting Taliban commanders. In April 2021, during the Trump administration, he was granted asylum while living in Washington, D.C. with his wife and five children. Advocates for Afghan refugees have highlighted the legal and employment challenges faced by Zero Unit veterans, noting that Congress never passed the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act that would have addressed their immigration status.
While the indictment focuses on the facts of the November shooting, officials have indicated that Lakanwal’s background and the circumstances of his arrival in the United States form part of the broader context. The DOJ’s Capital Case Committee will consider these factors as it evaluates the potential for a capital sentence.
Lakanwal’s arraignment took place before U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, and he entered a plea of not guilty to all 17 counts. A trial date has not yet been set. The case remains pending, with the DOJ continuing to investigate the circumstances of the shooting and the legal implications of the expanded indictment.
The DOJ’s action underscores the seriousness with which it treats attacks on U.S. military personnel. The outcome of the forthcoming trial and any potential capital sentencing will be closely watched by legal analysts, immigration advocates, and national‑security officials.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a superseding indictment that was unsealed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) just hours before his arraignment in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The new indictment expands the charges against him for the November 26, 2025 incident that occurred at about 2:13 p.m. on 17th and I Streets NW, a block from the White House and close to the Farragut West Metro Station.
According to the DOJ, Lakanwal drove a Toyota Prius from Bellingham, Washington, to Washington, D.C., carrying a stolen .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle in 2023. He allegedly opened fire without provocation at two West Virginia National Guard soldiers who were on duty. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed, Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 25, was seriously wounded, and two other Guardsmen sustained injuries.
The superseding indictment lists 17 counts, including first‑degree murder and the murder of a person assisting an officer and employee of the United States. It also charges Lakanwal with possession of a firearm and other related offenses. Because of the gravity of the new allegations, the DOJ’s Capital Case Committee has been tasked with reviewing whether the death penalty will be sought. The DOJ has not yet announced a decision on the penalty.
Lakanwal entered the United States after the fall of Afghanistan in 2021. He previously served in a CIA‑backed Afghan paramilitary unit known as a “Zero Unit,” which was tasked with hunting Taliban commanders. In April 2021, during the Trump administration, he was granted asylum while living in Washington, D.C. with his wife and five children. Advocates for Afghan refugees have highlighted the legal and employment challenges faced by Zero Unit veterans, noting that Congress never passed the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act that would have addressed their immigration status.
While the indictment focuses on the facts of the November shooting, officials have indicated that Lakanwal’s background and the circumstances of his arrival in the United States form part of the broader context. The DOJ’s Capital Case Committee will consider these factors as it evaluates the potential for a capital sentence.
Lakanwal’s arraignment took place before U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, and he entered a plea of not guilty to all 17 counts. A trial date has not yet been set. The case remains pending, with the DOJ continuing to investigate the circumstances of the shooting and the legal implications of the expanded indictment.
The DOJ’s action underscores the seriousness with which it treats attacks on U.S. military personnel. The outcome of the forthcoming trial and any potential capital sentencing will be closely watched by legal analysts, immigration advocates, and national‑security officials.
