WASHINGTON (RTW) — The U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, has announced that the charges against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the individual accused of shooting two National Guard members, have been elevated to first-degree murder following the death of one of the soldiers.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, just 20 years old, was critically injured during the shooting on Wednesday afternoon and succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, prompting this change in charges.
Pirro's office revealed that Lakanwal faces one count of first-degree murder, three counts of firearm possession during a crime of violence, and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. According to Pirro, Lakanwal executed an “ambush-style” attack with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, though it's still unclear what motivates this tragic turn of events.
Witnesses have shared that Lakanwal previously served in a CIA-backed Afghan Army unit before relocating to the United States, which raises questions about his past and potential motivations for the attack.
Reports indicate that Lakanwal had arrived in the U.S. in 2021 through the Operation Allies Welcome program after the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. He had applied for asylum during the Biden administration, but his asylum application was approved under the Trump administration.
Living in Bellingham, Washington with his wife and five children, Lakanwal's background in the Afghan military is under scrutiny as authorities piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, just 20 years old, was critically injured during the shooting on Wednesday afternoon and succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, prompting this change in charges.
Pirro's office revealed that Lakanwal faces one count of first-degree murder, three counts of firearm possession during a crime of violence, and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. According to Pirro, Lakanwal executed an “ambush-style” attack with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, though it's still unclear what motivates this tragic turn of events.
Witnesses have shared that Lakanwal previously served in a CIA-backed Afghan Army unit before relocating to the United States, which raises questions about his past and potential motivations for the attack.
Reports indicate that Lakanwal had arrived in the U.S. in 2021 through the Operation Allies Welcome program after the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. He had applied for asylum during the Biden administration, but his asylum application was approved under the Trump administration.
Living in Bellingham, Washington with his wife and five children, Lakanwal's background in the Afghan military is under scrutiny as authorities piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident.
