Additional Coverage:
- Washington DC shooting suspect charged with first-degree murder as second victim fights for life (themirror.com)
Suspect in National Guard Shooting Now Faces First-Degree Murder Charge
A tragic incident that claimed the life of one National Guard member and left another critically injured has led to a first-degree murder charge for the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national. The announcement comes just hours after the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom was confirmed.
United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, addressed the media, stating that “many more charges are to come” for Lakanwal, who was initially charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. These charges were upgraded following Beckstrom’s passing.
Beckstrom was shot in broad daylight on Wednesday afternoon, just a mile from the White House. She had volunteered for duty that day to ensure she could spend Thanksgiving with her family. Twenty-four-year-old Andrew Wolffe was also shot and remains in critical condition.
Pirro extended her condolences to Beckstrom’s family, saying her heart goes out to them. Regarding Wolffe’s condition, she expressed hope, stating, “We are doing everything we can to assist his family and to make sure that they have everything they need during this difficult time for them.” Beckstrom’s heartbroken father shared the devastating news of her passing on social media, writing, “My baby girl has passed to glory.”
The suspect, Lakanwal, is believed to have entered the country in 2021 through a Biden-era program that allowed Afghan nationals to apply for asylum after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He was officially granted asylum earlier this year.
In a related development, President Donald Trump stated his intention to “permanently pause migration” to the U.S. from all “third world countries.” He did not provide specific details on his plan or list the countries that would be affected, though a June White House proclamation had previously included Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela.