Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 30-year-old Afghan national accused of ambushing and shooting two National Guard troops near a Washington, D.C., Metro station last year, has been hospitalized after refusing to eat in jail. During an emergency hearing, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta stated that Lakanwal is being treated at George Washington University Hospital after refusing food and, in some cases, water. His health has deteriorated substantially, and he is in dire circumstances.
Lakanwal is accused of driving from Bellingham, Washington, to the nation’s capital with a stolen gun and opening fire near the Farragut West Metro station, which is just blocks from the White House, on November 26. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24 at the time, were both shot in the head. Beckstrom died on Thanksgiving Day, while Wolfe survived his injuries. Two other guardsmen were also hurt in the attack.
Lakanwal was charged last month in a 17-count superseding indictment. Prosecutors have said the charges related to Beckstrom’s murder are eligible for the death penalty. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty. He came to the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program that sought to evacuate and resettle tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed Lakanwal’s former association with his agency, stating that he had been a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has called the shooting a major offense against the United States, vowing to pursue every penalty the law permits as she seeks justice for Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe.
The Independent has contacted Lakanwal’s attorney for comment.
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