Soldier dies in Washington, DC shooting, suspect charged with murder

Washington, DC A man accused of attacking two National Guard members in the US capital has now been formally charged with first-degree murder after one of the victims succumbed to her injuries. The updated charges were announced on Friday by Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for Washington, DC.

The incident occurred two days earlier when 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly shot West Virginia National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, just a few blocks from the White House. Late Thursday, US President Donald Trump confirmed that Beckstrom had died from her injuries.

Pirro revealed the new charges on the Fox & Friends television program, following her previous announcement that Lakanwal faced three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and three counts of firearm possession during a violent crime. He will now face first-degree murder charges, Pirro stated. Additional charges are expected, but we are upgrading the initial assault charges to murder.

Attorney General Pam Bondi had earlier indicated she would seek the death penalty if either of the victims died. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism. Wolfe remains in critical condition.

The charge upgrade comes amid the Trump administrations announcement of intensified immigration enforcement and a review of existing immigrants in the US. On Thursday night, Trump tweeted that he would permanently pause migration from all Third World countries, extending an earlier restriction on Afghan immigration. He also vowed to remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country.

The administration plans to reexamine refugees and asylum seekers admitted under the Biden administration, with USCIS stating it would perform a full-scale, rigorous review of every Green Card for every individual from every country of concern.

Details about Lakanwal have continued to emerge. He was reportedly part of an Afghan unit linked to the CIA, known as the zero unit. Sources told The New York Times that Lakanwal experienced mental health challenges stemming from the units actions, which Human Rights Watch has said included extrajudicial killings and other abuses. Lakanwal applied for asylum in December 2024, and the case was approved in April, months after Trumps second term began. Officials found no disqualifying information at the time.

Advocates have criticized the administration for using the incident to justify a broader crackdown on immigration, affecting legal immigrants and vulnerable groups such as refugees. In response to the Afghan immigration halt, the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations stated, Collective punishment is never justified. People fleeing violence, persecution, and instability deserve protection and due process not to be vilified for the alleged acts of one person.

The Afghan-American Foundation urged leaders and the media to approach the situation responsibly: Follow the facts, resist fear, and ensure that this tragedy is not used to divide communities or break apart the ties that bind us.

Author: Sophia Brooks