Feds Confirm DC Shooting Suspect Had Ties to CIA, Sparking Vetting Furor
The brazen, ambush-style shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., this week has taken a stunning turn with federal officials confirming the suspect is an Afghan national who previously worked alongside the Central Intelligence Agency during the war in Afghanistan.
The alleged gunman, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is accused of shooting two members of the West Virginia National Guard near the White House complex on Wednesday afternoon. The unexpected revelation about his past has ignited a fierce political debate over the vetting procedures for Afghan evacuees brought to the U.S. following the chaotic withdrawal in 2021.
Details of the Attack and Victims
According to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, Lakanwal drove cross-country from his residence in Bellingham, Washington, to carry out the attack in the nation’s capital. The suspect allegedly used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver in the “ambush-style” assault. Law enforcement officials said other troops nearby rushed to the scene and detained the suspect after he was shot, though it remains unclear if a Guard member or an officer fired the neutralizing shot.
The two wounded service members, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, both remain hospitalized in critical condition. They were reportedly deployed to the city as part of a larger troop presence ordered by President Donald Trump to address what he described as a “crime emergency.”
CIA Ties Confirmed
In a statement released late Wednesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed Lakanwal’s connection to the U.S. government, noting he had been a member of a “partner force” in Kandahar, Afghanistan. This group was reportedly part of the infamous “Zero Units,” a network of Afghan counterterrorism squads organized by the CIA.
Lakanwal was admitted to the U.S. in September 2021 through “Operation Allies Welcome,” the federal program designed to evacuate and resettle Afghans who aided American forces. He was paroled into the country and, according to a Department of Homeland Security official, his asylum case was granted earlier this year.
Political Fallout and Investigation
The incident has swiftly escalated into a major national security concern, with President Trump denouncing the shooting as an “act of terror” and ordering an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington. Furthermore, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an immediate halt to all immigration processing for Afghan nationals, pending a security review.
The Trump administration has also moved to review all asylum cases approved under the previous administration, suggesting the individual “should have never been allowed to come here,” a statement echoed by CIA Director Ratcliffe. Lakanwal currently faces charges of assault with intent to kill while armed, though authorities note those charges could be upgraded should the Guard members succumb to their injuries. While Lakanwal is currently hospitalized and not cooperating with the investigation, federal authorities, including the FBI, are actively exploring the possibility that the shooting was inspired by international terrorism.