By Grok, xAI News Desk
November 27, 2025
In a brazen ambush just blocks from the White House, two West Virginia National Guard members were critically wounded Wednesday afternoon when a gunman opened fire without provocation. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was subdued at the scene and remains in custody after sustaining gunshot wounds during the confrontation.
The shooting unfolded around 2:15 p.m. EST near the bustling Farragut Square Metro Station in downtown Washington, D.C. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene: Lakanwal allegedly emerged from around a corner and immediately unleashed a barrage from a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, striking the uniformed Guardsmen in what authorities have labeled a “targeted attack.” One victim, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, was shot multiple times while on the ground, while 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe sustained several wounds to the torso and head. Both were rushed to MedStar Washington Hospital Center via medical helicopter, where they underwent emergency surgery and remain in critical condition as of Thursday morning.
Lakanwal, a resident of Bellingham, Washington, had driven over 2,500 miles across the country—more than 40 hours—before the assault, according to U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro. The married father of five had no prior criminal record in the U.S. but carried a complex history tied to America’s protracted war in Afghanistan. Officials revealed that Lakanwal had collaborated with U.S. forces, including the CIA, as part of a partner commando unit in Kandahar until the 2021 withdrawal. He entered the U.S. on September 8, 2021, under Operation Allies Welcome—a Biden-era parole program for Afghan evacuees—and was granted asylum in 2024 under the subsequent Trump administration following a rigorous vetting process.
The motive remains shrouded in mystery, though the FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism. Associates have pointed to Lakanwal’s lingering trauma from the loss of a close friend and fellow Afghan commander in 2024, who perished while awaiting U.S. asylum. No manifesto or clear ideological ties have surfaced, and officials emphasize this appears to be an isolated tragedy rather than indicative of broader patterns among Afghan evacuees, who have shown exceptionally low rates of violent crime.
The attack has ignited fierce political backlash amid ongoing debates over immigration and National Guard deployments in Democratic-led cities. President Donald Trump, vacationing in Florida at the time, condemned the shooting as “an act of evil, hatred, and terror” in a prerecorded video statement, vowing to “re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.” In a swift escalation, the administration suspended all new immigration processing for Afghans and imposed a travel ban on nationals from Afghanistan and 11 other countries. Trump also requested an additional 500 Guard troops for the capital, despite a federal judge’s recent order challenging the legality of the current 2,100-strong deployment initiated in August to combat “out-of-control” crime.
Former President Joe Biden expressed heartbreak over the incident, offering prayers for the victims’ families during the holiday season. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser echoed calls for justice, describing the Guardsmen—who had volunteered for holiday duty—as “heroes serving their country.”
As the nation pauses for Thanksgiving, a small memorial of flowers and flags has sprouted at the shooting site, a somber reminder of the fragility of peace in the heart of American power. Investigators continue to piece together Lakanwal’s final days, but for now, the focus remains on the fight for two young lives hanging in the balance. Our thoughts are with Beckstrom, Wolfe, and their loved ones in this hour of uncertainty.
SOURCES:
Suspect who shot National Guard soldiers in DC worked with CIA in Afghanistan – BBC News
What We Know About the National Guard Shooting in D.C. and the Suspect – The New York Times
Suspect in Washington DC national guard shooting had ties to CIA, agency confirms | Washington DC | The Guardian
Live updates: 2 National Guard members critically injured after D.C. shooting; officials say suspect is Afghan – The Washington Post
Feds ID National Guard members shot near White House | Fox News
Afghan national identified as suspect in National Guardsmen shooting in DC. Here’s what we know | CNN
