An Afghan national is expected to face a first-degree murder charge following a shooting near the White House that resulted in the death of a National Guard member. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is accused of opening fire on two members of the National Guard, according to Washington D.C. Attorney General Janine Pirro.
The charges are being elevated after the death of Sarah Backstrom, a 20-year-old National Guard member from West Virginia who was deployed to the capital as part of a federal anti-crime initiative. Backstrom succumbed to her injuries sustained in the attack. A second guardsman, Andrew Wolf, also 20, remains in critical condition.
“We are definitely upgrading the charges from the initial assault to first-degree murder,” Pirro stated. “This was premeditated murder. It was an ambush, using a firearm against individuals who were unaware of what was about to happen.”
Lakanwal allegedly used a .357 Smith & Wesson handgun in the attack. Authorities say he resided in Washington state and drove to Washington, D.C. prior to the shooting. Some American media outlets claim Lakanwal was previously a member of the “Zero Units,” an Afghan special forces unit tasked with operations against the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and ISIS.
The shooting, which occurred on the eve of Thanksgiving, has ignited debate surrounding the deployment of the military within the United States, immigration policies, and the ongoing repercussions of the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.
President Trump has vowed to suspend immigration from what he termed “Third World countries” in the wake of the incident. He also threatened to revoke “millions” of permits granted by his predecessor, Joe Biden, further escalating his anti-immigration stance. Officials have yet to comment on the specifics of the proposed policy changes.
