The man accused of shooting two National Guard service members near the White House now faces a first-degree murder charge after one of the victims died, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Friday. Authorities are still working to determine why the attack happened.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were critically injured in Wednesday’s shooting. President Donald Trump said Thursday evening that Beckstrom had succumbed to her injuries.
Prosecutors said the suspect, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal — who previously worked with the CIA during the Afghanistan War — has been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill.
The Trump administration also announced Friday that it is suspending all asylum rulings and pausing visa processing for Afghan passport holders.
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Beckstrom and Wolfe were in Washington with the West Virginia National Guard as part of Trump’s initiative to federalize the D.C. police force. Trump has also attempted to send Guard units to other cities to support his mass deportation plans, though some efforts have been blocked in court.
Asylum decisions frozen
Trump described the shooting as a “terrorist attack,” blaming the Biden administration for admitting Afghans who assisted U.S. forces during the war. The president has repeatedly called for halting migration from poorer countries and deporting millions of undocumented immigrants.
Joseph Edlow, head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, wrote on X that asylum decisions are suspended “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” Experts note that the U.S. already has strict vetting procedures, and asylum processing delays have grown under Trump.
Pirro told Fox News that additional charges against Lakanwal are likely and expressed condolences to Beckstrom’s family. Investigators are searching properties in Washington state, where Lakanwal lived, and other locations nationwide.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with National Guard members in D.C. on Friday and led a prayer for the two soldiers. He and his wife visited Wolfe in the hospital Thursday night. Wolfe remains in very critical condition, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said, ordering state flags to half-staff in Beckstrom’s honor.
Lakanwal’s background
Lakanwal had been living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children, according to a former landlord. Neighbors described him as quiet, polite, and struggling to find steady work. He briefly delivered packages through Amazon Flex between July and August.
He arrived in the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era initiative that resettled Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal. Although he applied for asylum under Biden, #AfghanEvac said his asylum was approved during Trump’s term.
In a Thanksgiving message, Trump said Lakanwal “went nuts.”
A man identifying himself as Lakanwal’s cousin told the AP that Lakanwal had served in a CIA-backed Afghan special forces unit known as the Zero Units, first as a security guard in 2012 and later as a team leader and GPS specialist. These units were involved in front-line operations and played a major role in securing Kabul airport during the U.S. exit.
On Wednesday night, Trump called for a full review of all Afghan refugees admitted under the 2021 resettlement program. Although critics claim the vetting process was insufficient, advocates say the screening was extensive and necessary to protect Afghans threatened by the Taliban.
Tributes to Beckstrom
Beckstrom joined the National Guard in 2023 after graduating high school and served as a military police officer in the 863rd Military Police Company. The Guard described her as a model soldier who showed “leadership, dedication, and professionalism” and volunteered for Operation D.C. Safe and Beautiful.
Trump called her an “incredible person” and “outstanding in every single way.”