Suspect in DC Ambush Previously Served in CIA‑Backed Afghan Unit, Officials Say

New details about alleged shooter’s background

New information indicates the Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guardsmen near the White House the day before Thanksgiving previously served in an elite Afghan counterterrorism unit that worked closely with U.S. intelligence.

Authorities and advocacy groups identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal. According to Afghan Evac, a nonprofit that assists Afghans applying for Special Immigrant Visas, Lakanwal was assigned to NDS‑03, a top-tier unit of Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security that received direct U.S. intelligence and military support.

The unit operated across southern Afghanistan — notably in Kandahar, Helmand and Uruzgan — and was based at the compound long associated with the late Taliban leader Mullah Omar, a site U.S. forces referred to as Camp Gecko. NDS‑03 was one of several paramilitary teams commonly called "Zero Units" because of the numeric suffix in their NDS designation.

People who worked with these Afghan teams described members as highly trained and entrusted with some of the most dangerous counterterrorism missions against the Taliban, al Qaeda and other militant groups.

Entry to the United States and vetting

Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under humanitarian parole as part of Operation Allies Welcome, the government resettlement program that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Afghan Evac says his asylum application was approved in April 2025.

U.S. officials told reporters that agencies including the CIA and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) would have conducted database checks on individuals who worked with U.S. partners. A senior U.S. official said that during the 2021 processing no terrorism ties appeared in Lakanwal’s records and that periodic vetting has continued since his arrival.

The official also noted that many Afghans used altered or forged birth records to appear 18 or older when applying to work with foreign partners, and that Lakanwal likely began collaborating with U.S. intelligence around 2011 when he may have been in his mid‑teens.

Criticism of the vetting process

At a public briefing, local prosecutors and federal representatives criticized aspects of the resettlement vetting process, saying the shooting underscores concerns about ensuring comprehensive background checks for some arrivals. Government sources maintain that multiple checks are standard and that continuous vetting has been conducted for resettled Afghans.

The alleged attack and aftermath

Law enforcement says Lakanwal is accused of opening fire on National Guardsmen Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, near the Farragut West Metro station at about 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Officials described the assault as an apparent ambush. A responding Guardsman shot and subdued the suspect; he was hospitalized and is under guard.

Both Guardsmen underwent surgery and remained in critical condition, authorities said. The investigation is ongoing and officials continue to review records and interview witnesses.

Note: The suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.