D.C. National Guard Shooting Suspect Faces New Charges, Paving Way for Possible Death Penalty

Federal prosecutors on Tuesday filed a superseding indictment against the man accused of fatally shooting a National Guard member and critically wounding another in downtown Washington, D.C., significantly escalating the legal stakes and opening the door for the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty if he is convicted.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 25, now faces eight additional charges, including murder of a person assisting an officer of the United States and discharge of a firearm during a violent crime causing death — both offenses that carry potential capital punishment under federal law. A D.C.-based federal grand jury separately found that Lakanwal “intentionally killed” Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and attempted to kill more than one person, findings that prosecutors say are necessary to seek the death penalty.

The Justice Department said its Capital Case Committee will review whether to formally seek the death penalty in the case, a decision that could take months and would require final approval from the attorney general. Lakanwal already faced several other federal charges, including attempted murder and firearms offenses, along with state-level counts of first-degree murder, assault, and gun possession under D.C. law.

At a hearing Tuesday, Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to all counts. His attorney did not respond to requests for comment.

The shooting occurred last November just blocks from the White House. Authorities say Lakanwal carried out an ambush-style attack against two members of the West Virginia National Guard who were deployed to the city as part of an anti-crime operation. Beckstrom was killed, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was critically wounded. Lakanwal also faces charges for attempting to kill two other unnamed service members who subdued him at the scene.

The case has drawn renewed scrutiny to the Biden administration’s evacuation and parole program for Afghans during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, entered the United States under Operation Allies Welcome, a program that fast-tracked entry for Afghans who had worked with U.S. forces. He was later granted asylum, though his application for a green card was still pending at the time of the shooting, according to a Department of Homeland Security official.

While in Afghanistan, Lakanwal worked with U.S. government agencies, including the CIA, a spokesperson for the agency confirmed. CBS News previously reported that he led an Afghan military unit that had collaborated with international forces. The attack has raised broader questions about the adequacy of background checks and vetting for tens of thousands of Afghans paroled into the U.S. under the program, which was designed to rapidly evacuate allies after the Taliban seized power.