The man accused of fatally shooting West Virginia National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, near the White House is now facing an upgraded charge of first-degree murder, and prosecutors say additional counts are likely.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced the upgraded charge on Fox & Friends Friday morning, saying “there are certainly many more charges to come” as investigators continue gathering information about the Wednesday attack that killed Beckstrom and left Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, in critical condition.
Why It Matters
Beckstrom and Wolfe had been deployed to Washington, D.C., since August as part of a federal surge in the nation’s capital focused on crime and immigration enforcement.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal of Washington state, allegedly drove across the country before carrying out what authorities describe as an “ambush-style” attack. He is accused of opening fire with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver before being shot and taken into custody by responding troops, according to Pirro.
What To Know
Lakanwal was originally charged with assault, but prosecutors elevated the charges to first-degree murder after Beckstrom died on Thursday evening. Pirro told the Fox & Friends hosts that investigators are working to learn more about Lakanwal, “even being in this country and being in a position to ambush and shoot down an innocent young woman who was doing her duty to the people of this country.”
Beckstrom was shot in the chest and head during the attack, which authorities have repeatedly described as an ambush.
President Donald Trump announced her death during his Thanksgiving address Thursday night, calling her a “magnificent person” who was “outstanding in every way.” Earlier in the day, her father told The New York Times that she was not expected to survive, describing her injuries as a “mortal wound.”
Wolfe underwent surgery and remains hospitalized in critical condition. Trump said Thursday that Wolfe is “in bad shape” and fighting for his life.
Authorities say Lakanwal drove from Washington state before allegedly carrying out the shooting with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. He was wounded and detained by responding troops.
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program that resettled about 76,000 Afghans who had assisted U.S. forces during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Lakanwal had previously worked with the U.S. government and the CIA as part of a partner force in Kandahar. He applied for asylum in 2024, which was granted by the Trump administration earlier this year.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the shooting, though officials say Lakanwal’s motive is still unknown.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told Fox & Friends on Friday:
“There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree. And we are hoping that the more information we can get, and the more investigation that is going on 24/7 now around the clock in Washington, the more we will find out about what actually happened in terms of this individual, even being in this country, and being in a position to ambush and shoot down an innocent young woman who was doing her duty to the people of this country.”
President Donald Trump said on Thursday:
“I am determined to ensure that the animal who perpetrated this atrocity pays the steepest possible price.”
General Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said:
“We are devastated by this senseless act of violence.”
CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Fox News Digital:
“In the wake of the disastrous Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi said:
“I’ll tell you right now, we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty for that monster, who should not have been in our country.”
What Happens Next
The FBI is leading the investigation, which is being treated as a possible act of international terrorism, according to Fox News.
Trump has also ordered a review of all Afghan nationals admitted under the Biden administration, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has temporarily paused all Afghan-related immigration applications while the review is underway.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Lakanwal is currently charged with first-degree murder, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
