WASHINGTON — The Afghan national accused of ambushing two National Guard soldiers near the White House previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan, senior U.S. officials said Thursday, as investigators pressed forward with what the FBI now classifies as an international terrorism case.
The suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly drove thousands of miles from Washington state before opening fire Wednesday afternoon on Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24.
Both soldiers underwent emergency surgery and remain in critical condition, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said. Lakanwal was also shot during the encounter and is hospitalized.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the Biden administration admitted Lakanwal to the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, citing his prior work with U.S. government personnel, including CIA teams in Kandahar.
Ratcliffe said that relationship ended shortly after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Law enforcement officials said Lakanwal used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver in what Pirro described as an “ambush-style attack.” Charges include assault with intent to kill, though prosecutors said they may escalate the case depending on the soldiers’ conditions.
FBI Director Kash Patel said agents are treating the incident as an act of terrorism and have launched a “coast-to-coast investigation,” executing multiple search warrants tied to Lakanwal’s cross-country travel. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the shooting a “direct attack on America.”
The shooting unfolded near the Farragut West Metro station, blocks from the White House, where National Guard personnel have been deployed under President Donald Trump’s federal security order.
Video reviewed by investigators shows the suspect rounding a corner and immediately firing at the two service members, authorities said. Other troops nearby responded within seconds, subduing the gunman after he was wounded.
Lakanwal arrived in the U.S. after serving a decade in the Afghan Army, part of that time alongside U.S. Special Forces in Kandahar, according to a relative who expressed shock at the allegations. He settled in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children and had recently worked for Amazon, the relative said.
Operation Allies Welcome brought roughly 76,000 Afghans to the United States following the Taliban takeover. While supporters say those evacuees underwent rigorous vetting, critics, including Trump, have raised concerns about gaps in the process.
Hours after the president’s remarks Wednesday night calling the shooting “an act of terror,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it was halting all immigration processing for Afghan nationals pending a review of security protocols.
Investigators say they have not identified a motive. The suspect acted alone, officials said, and there is no indication of additional threats. Social media footage captured first responders performing CPR on one soldier and treating the second on shattered glass scattered across the sidewalk.
Trump has ordered an additional 500 National Guard members to Washington, saying the attack “will only strengthen our resolve” to maintain security in the capital.
