The Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., the day before Thanksgiving has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was charged Tuesday with two counts of assault with intent to kill, one count of murder, and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Still under medical care, the suspect attended a court hearing via livestream.
At one point during the hearing, Lakanwal said he could not open his eyes and that he was in pain before the judge advised him to stop talking.
AN AFGHAN NATIONAL WAS CHARGED IN THE DC NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING. HERE’S WHERE THINGS STAND
District of Columbia Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond ordered that Lakanwal be held in custody without bond before a trial. The defendant is due to appear in court next on Jan. 14, 2026.
The Justice Department is considering seeking the death penalty after the shooter targeted two West Virginia National Guard members outside the Farragut West Metro station near the White House on Wednesday. Sarah Beckstrom succumbed to her wounds the next day. Andrew Wolfe is recovering as he remains in critical condition.
The attacker was also hospitalized after being shot in the incident.
Lakanwal traveled from Washington state to the district to commit what authorities have called a “targeted” shooting against the National Guard. The judge appeared to agree with that assessment.
“It is fairly clear that he came across the country, 3,000 miles, armed, with a specific purpose in mind,” Raymond said during Tuesday’s court hearing.
After the shooting, new information revealed the suspect served with the CIA in Afghanistan and suffered from mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Investigators are trying to determine whether his poor mental state was a factor in the attack. The FBI is investigating the incident as a possible act of international terrorism.
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, which was set up for Afghan refugees following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan that year. He was later granted asylum under the second Trump administration.
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In the wake of the attack, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services moved to restrict the processing of Afghan immigration requests to ensure proper vetting of foreign nationals. Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security is rolling out a travel ban for numerous countries to preserve national security.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem first announced the expanded travel ban list on Monday without specifying which countries would be affected. CNN reports the new list will feature between 30 and 32 countries, a notable increase from the current list of 19 countries.