US Homeland Security Chief Reveals Radicalisation Concerns Amid DC Shooting Probe

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The US homeland security secretary has shed light on the ongoing investigation into a deadly shooting in Washington, DC, which claimed the life of a National Guard member. According to Kristi Noem, investigators believe the suspect, identified as Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was radicalised after arriving in the US in 2021. Lakanwal, 29, had previously worked with US forces and the CIA in Afghanistan. The suspect was arrested shortly after the shooting, which occurred near the White House on Wednesday. The investigation has spanned multiple states, including Washington and California. Noem declined to elaborate on how Lakanwal may have been radicalised, but said his home community and state appeared to have played a role. Officials are continuing to interview family members and contacts, with some participation reported so far. The shooting has left two West Virginia National Guard members injured, with US army specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, succumbing to her injuries on Thursday. US air force staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalised. The incident has sparked a heated debate in Washington, with President Donald Trump and other officials blaming the Biden administration for allowing Lakanwal into the US. Trump has vowed to tighten immigration rules and restrict settlement rights for Afghan allies, as well as deport foreign nationals deemed security risks. The US attorney for the District of Columbia has announced that Lakanwal will face charges including first-degree murder, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. The case is being treated as a terror incident, but a motive has not been publicly disclosed.