In a solemn turn of events just before the Thanksgiving holiday, an Afghan national has been charged with the grim task of facing justice for a violent act in Washington, D.C. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old resident of Bellingham, Washington, has been indicted with first-degree murder while armed, related to the death of National Guard Soldier Sarah Beckstrom.
Held without bond and found with probable cause by a D.C Superior Court judge, Lakanwal now awaits a preliminary hearing, according to court documents. Beckstrom, who was 20 years old, died from injuries sustained in the ambush-style shooting that occurred last Wednesday, alongside her fellow National Guard member Andrew Wolfe, who was critically injured and remains hospitalized. The assault was launched unprovoked, as vividly recounted by court records, a few blocks from the White House.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, traveled over 2,000 miles from Washington state to the nation's capital, where, at approximately 2:13 p.m., he opened fire near Farragut West Metro Station at 17th and I Streets, NW. Despite the chaos, quick action from fellow guardsmen on the scene helped subdue Lakanwal, who was also injured in the shooting.
Currently under treatment and guard in a local hospital, Lakanwal faces a litany of charges that also include assault with intent to kill while armed and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. This serious case continues its course through the legal system, with a joint investigation by the FBI's Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department diligently working towards closure. The case against Lakanwal is being prosecuted by a dedicated team including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Ballentine, Ariel Dean, Christopher Tortorice, and Laura Bach, with help from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough.
