Afghan National Opens Fire on National Guards Near White House, One Troop Dies
Image Source: Internet
A devastating shooting near the White House has left one National Guard troop dead and another fighting for their life. The attack occurred on November 26, when gunman Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, ambushed two National Guard members on patrol in the area. Lakanwal, 29, used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver to shoot at the troops before being subdued and taken into custody. According to investigators, Lakanwal drove across the country to launch the attack, which has been described as a 'terrorist act' by President Donald Trump. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but authorities believe Lakanwal was the sole gunman. Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program initiated by the Biden administration to evacuate and resettle thousands of Afghans. He applied for asylum during the Biden administration but had his application approved after Trump became president. Prior to his arrival in the US, Lakanwal worked with the US government, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar. Lakanwal's cousin, a resident of the eastern Afghan province of Khost, revealed that Lakanwal originally hailed from the province and had worked in a special Afghan Army unit known as Zero Units. Lakanwal's former landlord, Kristina Widman, stated that he had been residing in Washington state with his wife and five children. The US attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, said that the video reviewed by investigators showed Lakanwal 'came around the corner' and immediately started firing at the troops. At least one Guard member exchanged gunfire with the shooter before troops subdued and held him down. The FBI is probing the incident as an 'act of terrorism.' President Trump announced the news of the death of one of the National Guard troops, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, while the other soldier, Andrew Wolfe, 24, is 'fighting for his life.' Trump was not present at the White House at the time of the attack.
