Lawyers for Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, the accused killer of a National Guard soldier and grievous wounding of another trooper, filed a motion on Dec. 16 to compel prosecutors to provide evidence to back up their claims that the crime was a “targeted attack” and an “ambush.”
“Despite these characterizations, the government has proffered no motive evidence for the charged offenses. Instead, all the known evidence of Mr. Lakanwal’s allegiances show his solidarity with U.S. military personnel,” says the motion.
Recovering from injuries sustained in what authorities describe as a brazen, broad daylight attack on two National Guard members Lakanwal, pleaded innocent through an Arabic interpreter in a brief court appearance on Dec. 2.
One soldier, Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from gunfire. A 24-year-old, male guardsman was also grievously wounded in the shooting on Nov. 26 near the Farragut West Metro stop blocks from the White House They had been deployed from West Virginia to DC in response to President Trump’s declaration of a “crime emergency” in the city.
The proceeding before DC Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond was conducted virtually so Lakanwal could attend from his hospital bed. The bearded suspect is charged in the District with first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence after driving to DC from Washington State, prosecutors say, with murderous intent .
Enhanced federal charges from the Department of Justice are likely, including a death penalty count but no confirmation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in DC as of Dec. 11.
According to the DC police affidavit, the victims were engaged in a conversation with another soldier that was abruptly punctuated by gunfire, then, “Beckstrom and [the other victim] fall to the ground while [the other soldier] simultaneously seeing the defendant…shooting a gun and screaming, ‘Allahu Akbar.’–Arabic for “God is great.”
At that point, the Guardman responded with his service weapon. “During the subsequent gunfight, the defendant was shot and fell to the ground.” Both of his victims were unresponsive, says the report. They were shot in the head.
Prior to the shooting, surveillance video from several nearby locations show an individual identified as Lakanwal near the Metro stop when he starts running “with his hands raised in a firing stance.”
According to US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, Lakanwal, an Afghan, entered the United States under [former President] Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome, a program to assist those who helped the U.S. Military before its “disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
It has been widely reported that Lakanwal was granted asylum in April by the Trump administration.
“Our nation’s capital should not be and must not be a place where evil comes to commit violence whatever their cause or motive should be,” said Pirro at a news conference on Nov. 27.
Lakanwal’s defense team objected that he was not charged within the 72 legal requirement. However, given that Lakanwal seemed dimly aware of the hearing, and was barely able to communicate five days after the incident from his hospital bed, Judge Raymond disregarded the argument.
Further the defense claimed it could rebut the prosumption that Lakanwal posed a danger to the community because he had no prior criminal record and that he could be safely released pending trial.
However, in her ruling there was sufficient probable cause for Lakwanwal to be detained, Judge Raymond described the magnitude of the incident and “its innate terror.
No further hearings are on the docket.
