Man accused of shooting National Guard members in DC makes first court appearance
Suspect in National Guard shooting in DC pleads not guilty
Court documents have revealed new details about the man accused of shooting two National Guard members outside of a D.C. Metro station last week. Rahmanullah Lakanwal is accused of shooting Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe. He made his first court appearance remotely on Tuesday, being arraigned from his hospital bed. FOX 5's Katie Barlow is live with the details.
WASHINGTON -
Court documents have revealed new details about the man accused of shooting two National Guard members outside of a D.C. Metro station last week.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal is accused of shooting Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe. He made his first court appearance remotely on Tuesday, being arraigned from his hospital bed.
No release:
Even though Lakanwal's lawyers argued that he should not remain in custody after he leaves the hospital because he has no criminal history, Judge Renee Raymond said there's no combination of conditions that would ensure the community's safety if he were released.
She said that his actions resulted and continue to animate "sheer terror." Lakanwal will remain behind bars now facing charges for first-degree murder, two gun charges and assault with intent to kill.
All of these charges are under D.C.'s criminal code, but U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said she's continuing to investigate potential federal charges.
"I would expect, given all the issues we've had with the National Guard and being used for civilian law enforcement and the federalization of the National Guard, that this is not only a legal case — it's a political one," former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told FOX 5. "So I would expect that if I were a line AUSA, there would be a directive from DC to file this case federally and to seek the death penalty."
In court:
Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to the charges filed under D.C.'s criminal code.
Pirro's office revealed new images of Lakanwal standing outside the Metro station last Wednesday before he started running toward the victims.
According to court documents, he shouted "allahu akhbar" as he shot toward law enforcement officers.
A major in the West Virginia National Guard shot Lakanwal and, together, with a member of the Secret Service, restrained him while he was attempting to reload his gun, according to officials.
D.C.'s chief medical officer has confirmed that Beckstrom died from a single gunshot to the back of the head.
Wolfe is currently in the hospital suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
Big picture view:
President Donald Trump has said he wants to reinstate the death penalty in Washington D.C.
On Tuesday, FOX 5 asked Pirro whether she's considering it in Lakanwal's case.
"That is a very weighty decision. That is a decision that comes later in time, and that is one that, ultimately, the attorney general will make. My job and the job of my office and the great federal partners, the investigative partners who work around the clock — and i wish you could see these people, they work around the clock investigating this case — our job is to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt," Pirro said.
Lakanwal is due back in court on Jan. 14.