Man accused of shooting 2 National Guard members in DC, killing 1, faces federal charges

WASHINGTON - The man accused of ambushing and shooting two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last month, killing one, is now facing federal charges.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal is accused of shooting Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, who were on patrol in D.C. after President Donald Trump issued an executive order deploying the National Guard to the District. 

The shooting happened less than a day after they were both deputized to continue their patrols.

New charges:

Lakanwal was originally charged with first-degree murder, two gun charges and assault with intent to kill under D.C.'s criminal code, but U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said she was continuing to investigate potential federal charges.

He's now facing two federal charges, according to court documents released on Tuesday. Those are: 

• transporting or receiving firearms in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent to commit an offense — punishable by imprisonment for more than one year,
• transporting or shipping a stolen firearm in interstate or foreign commerce.

The charges Lakanwal faces under D.C.'s criminal code include: 

• first-degree premeditated murder while armed,
• assault with intent to kill while armed (2 counts),
• possession of a firearm during crime of violence or dangerous offense (3 counts).

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges in D.C.

The backstory:

The shooting happened just before 2:15 p.m. on Nov. 26, near the intersection of 17th Street and I Street Northwest. 

According to the complaint, Beckstrom and Wolfe were on patrol when they met up with two other National Guard members. The gunshots started around 2:15 p.m. One of the national guard members reportedly saw Lakanwal shooting while screaming.

READ MORE: Afghan national facing murder charge for DC shooting after National Guard member dies

One of the other two National Guard members started shooting back, hitting Lakanwal. While Lakanwal was on the ground and trying to reload his gun, the other National Guard member tackled him.

Investigators found security footage from the scene of the shooting, which they say shows Lakanwal running toward the intersection and shooting at the National Guard members.

Paramedics took both Beckstrom and Wolfe to the hospital in critical condition.

The next day, Beckstrom died from her injuries. The coroner ruled she died from a gunshot to the back of the head.

Dig deeper:

Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, has been in the U.S. since 2021, when the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan. 

FOX News reports that Lakanwal was part of a CIA-associated unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan. National security expert Jack Thomas Tomarchio said that these units were highly trusted by the CIA and played crucial roles in operations against the Taliban.

Tomarchio noted that after the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, members of these units were at risk from the Taliban.

"When Afghanistan fell and the Taliban took over, the members of the 'zero units' were in jeopardy," Tomarchio said. 

Trump previously blamed the Biden administration for Lakanwal's presence in the U.S., saying that he wasn't properly vetted, though the Department of Justice's Inspector General in June found that there was sufficient vetting.

But FOX News has also reported that Lakanwal's asylum application was approved under the Trump administration. 

Lakanwal remains in federal custody at this time.