Afghan national pleads not guilty in deadly National Guard shooting near White House

An Afghan national accused of carrying out a deadly shooting attack on members of the U.S. National Guard near the White House has pleaded not guilty to all charges in a federal court.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 30, appeared before a U.S. District Court on Tuesday following the unsealing of a 17-count federal superseding indictment. Prosecutors allege that Lakanwal killed West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and seriously wounded Guardsman Andrew Wolfe in an ambush-style attack in Washington, D.C., in November 2025.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the charges include first-degree murder and several firearms-related offenses, making the case eligible for the death penalty. Prosecutors said they will begin the formal review process to determine whether capital punishment will be sought.

“Sarah Beckstrom was serving her country when she was allegedly killed in a targeted attack near the White House,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said in a statement, adding that authorities will pursue all legal avenues to seek justice for the victims.

Court documents allege that Lakanwal, a former contractor for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Afghanistan, drove from Washington state to the U.S. capital while carrying a stolen firearm. Prosecutors say he opened fire on National Guard personnel, striking Beckstrom and Wolfe in the head before being subdued by other Guardsmen at the scene.

Investigators recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had reportedly been stolen in Seattle in 2023.

Beckstrom later died from her injuries on Thanksgiving Day, while Wolfe survived and continues to recover.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Lakanwal appeared in court wearing an orange prison uniform and using a wheelchair, reportedly due to injuries sustained during the incident. The court scheduled the next status hearing for September 16.

The final decision on whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty rests with Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche.

The case has drawn significant attention in the United States due to the attack’s proximity to the White House and Lakanwal’s previous work with U.S. government entities in Afghanistan.