US Justice Department to seek death penalty for Afghan suspect in National Guard shooting

The U.S. Justice Department has indicated its intent to pursue the death penalty against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of fatally shooting one West Virginia National Guard member and seriously wounding another near the White House in late November 2025.

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors said Wednesday they intend to seek the death penalty against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghan national accused of ambushing two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House, killing one and gravely injuring the other.

Lakanwal pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Washington to nine federal charges, including first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill and illegal possession of a firearm. The arraignment before Judge Amit Mehta came amid indications from prosecutors that they are working toward "death-eligible charges" — potentially through additional or amended counts — as the case advances.

The shooting occurred Nov. 26, 2025, near the Farragut West Metro station, about two blocks from the White House. Lakanwal allegedly approached Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, while they were on patrol as part of a federal deployment to bolster law enforcement in the District of Columbia.

Court documents describe the attack as an ambush: Lakanwal shot both victims in the head with a .357 revolver before a third Guardsman returned fire and subdued him.

Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries the following day, Nov. 27, 2025. Wolfe, who also suffered a severe head wound, remains under medical care and is scheduled for additional surgery in the coming months, according to family updates.

Lakanwal, who relocated to the United States in 2021 after working with U.S. agencies including the CIA in Afghanistan, had been living in Washington state. Prosecutors allege he traveled cross-country to the capital in late November.

Court filings indicate he obtained a stolen pistol and ammunition shortly before the attack, and conducted online searches for locations in Washington, D.C., including the White House address.

A third National Guard member detained Lakanwal moments after the shooting. He was wounded during the exchange and appeared in court in a wheelchair.

The case has drawn national attention, coming amid heightened security deployments in the capital.

President Donald Trump described the incident as an "act of terror" following the attack, and additional National Guard personnel were sent to the District in its aftermath.Lakanwal's next court hearing is scheduled for early May.

Prosecutors have not yet filed any superseding indictment, but their statements in court underscore the government's commitment to pursuing capital punishment if eligible charges are approved.

No motive has been publicly confirmed, though the targeted nature of the assault on uniformed service members has prompted ongoing federal investigation. Lakanwal remains in custody.

Multiple U.S. intelligence officials, including then-CIA Director John Ratcliffe, confirmed that Lakanwal worked with various U.S. government entities, including the CIA, as part of an Afghan "partner force" in Kandahar province.

Lakanwal was a member of one of the CIA's so-called Zero Units — elite Afghan strike forces trained, equipped, and directed by the CIA as part of its clandestine counterterrorism operations. These units operated outside Afghanistan's regular military chain of command and focused on high-risk missions against the Taliban, often conducting nighttime raids.

Following the United Sates withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's 2021 takeover, Lakanwal and thousands of other Zero Unit members were prioritized for evacuation due to their high-risk status as Taliban targets. The CIA played a key role in overseeing their relocation.

After resettlement in Washington, Lakanwal reportedly faced challenges including expired work permits, financial strain, isolation, and possible mental health issues, according to investigative reporting.

Source: DPN, Agencies, Staff AI, February 5, 2026

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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