Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Nov 26: A 29-year-old man accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House has been charged with federal firearms offences in connection with the November 26 ambush that left one soldier dead and another seriously injured.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been charged in a federal complaint with transporting a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. He has also been charged with transporting a stolen firearm across state lines.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the transfer of the case from the District of Columbia Superior Court to federal court would allow authorities to consider whether the death penalty is applicable.
“Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed, and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter,” Pirro said. “Andrew Wolfe survived but faces a long road to recovery.”
Lakanwal continues to face charges under the D.C. code, including first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and illegal possession of a firearm. He has pleaded not guilty to the local charges. There is no provision for the death penalty in the D.C. Superior Court.
According to investigators, Lakanwal allegedly drove from Bellingham, Washington, to Washington, D.C., while in possession of a stolen firearm and ambushed the two National Guard members outside a metro station located about three blocks from the White House. The accused was also injured during the encounter.
Beckstrom and Wolfe were deployed as part of a law-enforcement surge ordered by President Donald Trump, which has brought additional federal forces into the capital since August.
US officials confirmed that Lakanwal is an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a programme launched to resettle Afghans following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Lakanwal had previously worked with American agencies as part of a partner force in Kandahar.
Lakanwal’s lawyer was not immediately available for comment.