Afghan gunman behind National Guard shooting previously worked with the CIA in his home country

• Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who previously worked with the CIA and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, ambushed two National Guard members near the White House. He entered the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era evacuation program for Afghan allies.
• Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed, and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically wounded. Lakanwal fired four rounds from an unregistered revolver, stole Beckstrom’s weapon and continued shooting before being subdued by return fire.
• Lakanwal had worked with U.S. special forces in Afghanistan and suffered from PTSD. He was granted asylum in 2025 but feared deportation; no direct extremist ties have been confirmed.
• The FBI seized electronic devices from Lakanwal’s Washington residence. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced plans to pursue terrorism charges, possibly seeking the death penalty.
• President Donald Trump condemned the attack as an act of terror, blaming Biden’s lax vetting for allowing Lakanwal into the United States. Trump vowed to review all Afghan admissions under Biden’s policies, signaling stricter immigration controls.

The gunman accused of ambushing two National Guard members near the White House on Wednesday, Nov. 26, has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Afghanistan before entering the United States under a Biden-era evacuation program.

The attack left Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, dead and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, in critical condition. Lakanwal was wounded by return fire and remains hospitalized under sedation, complicating investigators’ efforts to interview him.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed Thursday, Nov. 27, that Lakanwal had worked with U.S. forces, including the CIA, as part of a “partner force” in Kandahar during the war in Afghanistan. His affiliation ended shortly after the chaotic 2021 withdrawal, Ratcliffe said.

Lakanwal entered the U.S. on Sept. 8, 2021, under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program designed to evacuate Afghans who assisted U.S. forces and faced Taliban retaliation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that Lakanwal was paroled into the country on humanitarian grounds.

BrightU.AI‘s Enoch explains that Operation Allies Welcome is a U.S. military operation that was launched in August 2021 to support the evacuation and resettlement of Afghan allies, including interpreters, translators and other Afghans who had worked with the U.S. government and military during the 20-year war in Afghanistan. The operation was initiated following the Taliban’s takeover of the country and the subsequent collapse of the Afghan government.

According to multiple law enforcement sources, Lakanwal applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted approval in April 2025, though his request for a green card remained pending.

A former Afghan commando who spoke with CBS News said Lakanwal led a unit of Afghan special forces that worked closely with U.S. and British troops. The commando added that Lakanwal was deeply affected by the death of a fellow Afghan commander in 2024 who had unsuccessfully sought asylum in the United States.

The shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m. in Farragut Square, a busy area near a transit station and the White House. According to Jeff Carroll, executive assistant chief of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Lakanwal approached the two National Guard members on patrol and “ambushed” them without warning.

Officials said Lakanwal initially fired four rounds from a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, striking Beckstrom first. After she fell, he allegedly took her weapon and continued firing, hitting Wolfe before a third guardsman returned fire, subduing the suspect.

The revolver used in the attack was not registered to Lakanwal but belonged to a deceased Washington state resident, raising questions about how he obtained it.

Terrorism probe underway

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel confirmed that investigators executed search warrants at Lakanwal’s last known address in Bellingham, Washington, seizing electronic devices including cellphones, laptops and iPads. Interviews with family members revealed that Lakanwal suffered from PTSD and feared deportation, though no direct ties to extremist groups have been confirmed.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that prosecutors will pursue terrorism charges, seeking life in prison or the death penalty.

President Donald Trump condemned the attack as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror” in a video statement from Mar-a-Lago, blaming the Biden administration for allowing Lakanwal into the country.

Trump said the suspect and many others should never have been allowed to come in the U.S. and he vowed to “re-examine every single alien” admitted under Biden’s policies.

His administration has already halted processing immigration cases for Afghan nationals pending further security reviews.

Beckstrom, a member of West Virginia’s 111th Engineer Brigade, was remembered by Trump as “a highly respected, young, magnificent person.” Her father told The New York Times she suffered a “mortal wound” and was not expected to survive.

Wolfe’s father, Jason Wolfe, asked for prayers, calling his son “a fighter” and “a great person.”

As the investigation continues, questions remain about vetting failures, the suspect’s mental state, and whether ideological motives played a role. The case has reignited debates over immigration policies and national security, with Trump signaling a tougher stance.

Watch the video below about an Afghan accused of terror plot who worked as a CIA guard.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

CBSNews.com

Edition.CNN.com

News.Sky.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com