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The Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., yelled “Allahu akbar!” during the attack before he was struck with return fire and subdued by a witness, federal prosecutors said.
The details emerged as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, made his first court appearance in Superior Court in Washington D.C., on Tuesday. He appeared remotely from a hospital bed.
Lakanwal’s attorney said his client pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault with intent to kill, one count of murder and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
In court documents, prosecutors said Lakanwal, of Bellingham, Wash., drove across the U.S. to Washington, D.C., while in possession of a .357-caliber revolver, according to The Washington Post. He then studied a National Guard contingent for about one minute on Nov. 26 before opening fire at Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe near the Farragut West Metro station, the newspaper added, citing the documents.
NEW VIDEO EMERGES OF DC NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING AS SOLDIER CLINGS TO LIFE
Screenshots show National Guard members scrambling for cover and returning fire during the Nov. 26 ambush near the Farragut West Metro station in Washington, D.C. (Obtained by the Wall Street Journal)
Prosecutors described how a National Guard supervisor was talking to Beckstrom and Wolfe when they both collapsed to the ground and saw Lakanwal “shooting a gun and screaming, ‘Allahu Akbar,’” the documents reportedly said.
The supervisor then returned fire, striking Lakanwal, before a witness “jumped on” Lakanwal as he tried to reload his revolver, court documents allege, according to the Post. The suspect ultimately was subdued and brought into custody.
An undated file photo of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (Provided by Department of Justice)
At one point during the hearing Tuesday, Lakanwal said through his interpreter, “I cannot open my eyes. I have pain in my…”
D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond cut him off at that point, and his defense attorney said he didn’t want Lakanwal to say anything.
DC NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING SUSPECT FORMALLY CHARGED
Raymond ruled Lakanwal to be held in custody without bond pending further court actions.
Wolfe, 24, was wounded and continues to fight for his life. Beckstrom, 20, was killed.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Department of Justice intends to seek the death penalty.
National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot in Washington, D.C., last Wednesday. Beckstrom died Thursday at a hospital. (United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Lakanwal had legally entered the U.S. in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden administration’s Afghan evacuation and resettlement program.
Fox News’ Stephen Sorace, Jake Gibson, Jasmine Baehr, David Spunt, William Mears and Greg Wehner, along with The Associated Press, contributed to this report.