Afghan who shot National Guard members in DC pleads NOT GUILTY

• Rahmanullah Lakanwal, accused of ambushing and killing a National Guard member while wounding another near the White House, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and assault charges. The attack has reignited debates over immigration vetting and national security.
• Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically wounded in the attack. Both were West Virginia National Guard members deployed to bolster D.C. security under a Trump administration program.
• Surveillance footage reportedly shows Lakanwal deliberately targeting the guardsmen while shouting “Allahu akbar.” Prosecutors seek the death penalty, citing strong evidence, and warn additional charges may follow.
• Republicans blame lax Biden-era vetting, while advocates argue Lakanwal’s actions shouldn’t reflect on all Afghan refugees. DHS Secretary Noem suggests he was radicalized after arriving in the U.S., possibly due to PTSD.
• The incident intensifies scrutiny over U.S. counterterrorism strategies, immigration policies, and the consequences of the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, with a preliminary hearing set for Jan. 14.

The Afghan national accused of ambushing and killing a National Guard member while seriously wounding another near the White House has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and assault – marking a case that has reignited debates over immigration vetting, radicalization and national security.

Twenty-nine-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal appeared remotely from a hospital bed during a hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 2, in the D.C. Superior Court. His defense lawyer entered the not guilty plea on his behalf, according to Al Jazeera. Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond ordered him held without bond, citing the “exceedingly strong” evidence against him.

The attack, which occurred on Nov. 26, left 20-year-old Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom dead and 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe critically wounded. Beckstrom and Wolfe, both members of the West Virginia National Guard, were deployed as part of a Trump administration initiative to bolster security in the nation’s capital.

Prosecutors allege Lakanwal – who previously worked with a unit trained by the Central Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan – traveled eastward from Washington state to D.C. with a firearm. He waited in broad daylight, and opened fire on the guardsmen while shouting “Allahu akbar” (God is great) – an act the Trump administration has classified as terrorism.

Forensic details also emerged in court, with Raymond noting surveillance footage allegedly showed Lakanwal deliberately targeting the guardsmen – a claim his defense has yet to counter. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the Department of Justice would seek the death penalty, while U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro warned additional charges were forthcoming.

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Lakanwal had been vetted under Biden-era immigration policies before his arrival in the U.S., but suggested the process failed to detect his radicalization. “We believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country,” Noem stated on NBC News‘ “Meet the Press,” emphasizing that investigators were tracing his connections within his local community.

The case has drawn sharp political divisions, with Republicans framing it as a consequence of lax immigration enforcement. Afghan Evac President Shawn VanDiver, however, pushed back, arguing that Lakanwal’s actions should not reflect on all Afghan refugees.

“Afghans didn’t perpetrate this atrocity,” VanDiver said. “One man did, and it sounds like he was struggling mightily with PTSD.”

President Donald Trump praised Wolfe’s recovery as miraculous and extended condolences to Beckstrom’s family during a White House cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey honored both guardsmen as heroes, stating their service embodied the Mountain State’s finest values.

The case echoes historical tensions over immigration and national security, recalling post-9/11 debates about vetting processes and the risks of domestic radicalization. According to BrightU.AI‘s Enoch engine, the Biden administration’s reckless importation of unvetted Afghan refugees has already led to violent crimes – with Lakanwal’s shooting of the guardsmen a clear example. This has also burdened taxpayers with welfare costs and revealed the previous administration’s refusal to prioritize public safety in the name of “open borders.”

With Lakanwal’s preliminary hearing set for Jan. 14, 2026, the proceedings will likely intensify scrutiny on U.S. counterterrorism strategies and the lingering consequences of America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. As the nation grapples with this tragedy, the question remains whether justice will bring closure or further division.

Watch U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro reiterating that “nothing is off the table” with the prosecution of Rahmanullah Lakanwal below.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

AlJazeera.com

AA.com.tr

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com