The man accused of shooting two national guardsmen in Washington, D.C., in November – leaving one dead and the other severely injured – pled not guilty to nine charges, including first-degree murder, in federal court Wednesday. He is 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, and his alleged attack took the life of 20-year-old Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and left 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe fighting for his survival.
Department of Justice prosecutors hinted that they will be seeking the death penalty:
When Judge Amit Mehta pressed prosecutors on whether they would be pursuing additional charges that would allow them to seek the death penalty for Lakanwal, prosecutors waffled, eventually telling the judge they are pursuing “death-eligible charges.”
According to court documents, Lakanwal traveled from Washington state to the capital city in late November before he ambushed the two officers, shooting them both in the head with a snub-nosed revolver.
Another National Guard member, having heard the shots, pulled out his service weapon and shot Lakanwal, who fell to the ground and was quickly detained, court records say.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House, entered a not guilty plea today as U.S. prosecutors signaled they may seek the death penalty.
— Conflict Alarm (@ConflictAlarm) February 4, 2026
The November attack left one service member dead and another critically… pic.twitter.com/x8Fz3o7wyV
Lakanwal worked with the CIA in Afghanistan for years, then came to the U.S. in 2021 following former President Joe Biden's disastrous withdrawal from the country. He reportedly suffered mental issues, and although his motive for the shooting remains unclear, some theorize he suffered from PTSD.
MORE: President Trump Pays Tribute to Slain National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom in Powerful Way
As our Rusty Weiss reported, Lakanwal allegedly opened fire in a shocking daylight attack the day before Thanksgiving:
New footage reveals the heroic actions of a National Guardsman who opened fire on Rahmanullah Lakanwal as the Afghan terror suspect was carrying out a brazen daylight ambush on two fellow guard members on Thanksgiving eve.
Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan refugee initially escorted into the United States on a temporary visa issued to him in 2021 by the Biden administration, is seen in video and live images obtained by the Wall Street Journal brandishing a revolver.
A witness revealed that Lakanwal had opened fire on Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe on the streets of Washington, D.C., which sent another guardsman racing around the corner while desperately reloading his weapon.
Luckily, the quick-thinking guardsman was able to neutralize the shooter before he could cause more bloodshed.
A National Guard troop gets SH0T and KlLLED while serving her country and the Left stays silent.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 31, 2026
A Lady tries to run over an ICE agent and gets SH0T and KlLLED, the Left riots.
We are not the same. pic.twitter.com/h24TNHKDZR
Meanwhile, Wolfe is on the mend, although he faces a long road to recovery:
Wolfe's mother, Melody, posted an update to her Facebook page. In her post, she says Andrew Wolfe is healing well.
"In just a little over two months since the attack, he's already working beyond the expectations that were anticipated," Melody Wolfe wrote.
The hero posted to Facebook himself Tuesday:
Wishing you a full recovery, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. Meanwhile, the acused shooter should get the maximum penalty imaginable if convicted for this depraved act.
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