The DOJ moves forward with 17 charges against the Afghan man accused of attacking National Guard members
According to the federal indictment, Rahmanullah Lakanwal opened fire on two National Guard members, Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe, striking them in the head. While Wolfe survived and is currently undergoing rehabilitation, Beckstrom died as a result of her injuries.
Todd Blanche on Capitol Hill/ Brendan Smialowski
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has added charges against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan citizen accused of the shooting attack on National Guard members in November 2025. Following the amendment to his indictment, Lakanwal appeared Tuesday before U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta and pleaded not guilty.
The incident occurred in November 2025, near the Farragut Square Metro station. The victims were Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, both from West Virginia. While Wolfe survived and is currently undergoing rehabilitation, Beckstrom died as a result of her injuries.
According to the federal indictment, Lakanwal allegedly drove from Washington state to the nation’s capital carrying a stolen revolver. Once in D.C., he opened fire on the two National Guard members, striking them in the head. The man was subsequently subdued by other law enforcement officers, who recovered a Smith & Wesson pistol at the scene.
The indictment filed with a grand jury includes 17 charges, including first-degree premeditated murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to kill, interstate transportation of a firearm to commit a felony, and multiple violations related to the use of firearms during a violent crime.
As the DOJ specified in a statement, six of the new charges are punishable by the death penalty if convicted. However, attorneys have not yet clarified whether or not they will seek the death penalty.
"Sarah Beckstrom was 20 years old, serving her country in the nation's capital, when Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly drove across the country and executed her in cold blood steps from the White House," Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, said.
“That is not just a crime, it is a major offense against the United States. We will pursue every penalty the law permits as we seek justice for Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe,” she added.
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through one of the programs launched by the Joe Biden administration to evacuate and resettle tens of thousands of Afghans following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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