Security official believes Afghan suspect in Washington shooting was likely radicalized in the US

The Afghan man accused of fatally shooting a National Guard member and wounding another in Washington may have become radicalized after entering the United States, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She discussed the suspect's potential motives during Sunday television interviews.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the November 26 shooting, which killed a 20-year-old guardsman and left another in critical condition. Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Noem stated, "We believe he was radicalized since arriving in this country." In a separate ABC interview, she added that the radicalization likely involved connections within his home community and family.

Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 as part of a large-scale evacuation organized during the military withdrawal from Afghanistan, when the Taliban regained control. Residing in Washington state, he allegedly traveled across the country to commit the attack just a few blocks from the White House, shocking the nation shortly before Thanksgiving.

Some officials from the Trump administration, which reportedly granted Lakanwal asylum in April 2025, criticized the previous administration for insufficient screening of evacuees during the Afghan airlift. Noem noted on ABC's This Week that Lakanwal's vetting may have occurred but was "not done well." Former President Trump criticized the Biden administrations handling of border security in a post on Truth Social.

Before arriving in the United States, Lakanwal reportedly served in a CIA-supported Afghan partner force unit combating the Taliban. Following the incident, US authorities have suspended visas for Afghan nationals and paused decisions on all asylum applications.

Author: Sophia Brooks