DC National Guard Shooting: Suspect Identified | Updates

# National Guard wounded in White House Ambush; Suspect Identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal

A suspected shooter has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, following an ambush attack that left two National Guard troops critically wounded just blocks from the White House on Wednesday. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the identification, and officials stated the suspect is currently hospitalized after being shot by another member of the Guard and taken into custody.

Suspect’s Entry and Immigration Status

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, entered the United States in 2021, according to multiple law enforcement sources. Secretary of Homeland security Kristi Noem stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Lakanwal was paroled into the U.S. on September 8,2021,through Operation Allies Welcome,a programme established during the Biden management to assist Afghan nationals.

The incident has quickly drawn political attention. Former President Trump described lakanwal as “a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan, a hellhole on Earth,” in a video message released Wednesday evening. He further asserted that the suspect’s status was extended “under legislation signed by President Biden.”

The influx of Afghan nationals into the U.S. began in 2021 coinciding with the withdrawal of U.S. military forces and the subsequent Taliban takeover. Many were granted special immigrant visas for their service alongside the U.S.military during the 20-year conflict, while others received temporary humanitarian parole. Additionally,over 8,000 individuals from Afghanistan were granted temporary protected status (TPS),a measure extended by President Biden in 2023 but afterward ended by Mr. Trump earlier this year. Lakanwal’s current immigration status remains unclear.

Did you know? – Operation Allies Welcome was created to streamline the resettlement process for Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal. It involved collaboration between federal agencies and private organizations.

Details of the attack and suspect’s Behavior

According to Jeff Carroll, executive assistant chief of the D.C. Metropolitan Police department, the suspect was subdued at the scene and taken into custody by National Guard members and law enforcement officers. Law enforcement sources indicate that Lakanwal is currently not cooperating with authorities.

Police describe the incident as a deliberate ambush on the National Guard troops. Carroll stated the suspect “raised the firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard” while they were patrolling near a mass transit station in downtown Washington, D.C.

Initial reports indicate the suspect was armed with a handgun containing four rounds. The first victim, a female Guard member, was immediately struck and sustained at least two gunshot wounds. The suspect then allegedly seized her weapon and

Pro tip: – “Humanitarian parole” allows individuals not or else eligible for admission into the U.S. to enter temporarily for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.

returned fire,effectively ending the attack.

FBI Director Kash Patel reported that both wounded Guard members, both from the West Virginia National Guard, are in critical condition. The Guard members were conducting “high visibility patrols” as part of a deployment ordered by President Trump several months ago.

The inquiry is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the suspect’s motives. .

Reader question: – What factors might influence the investigation into the suspect’s motives, and how long might it take to determine them?

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