Federal prosecutors have charged Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, with interstate firearms offenses and moved his case to U.S. District Court, enabling review of whether federal capital penalties may apply. He also faces D.C. charges, including first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill, in the Nov. 26 ambush that killed 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and wounded 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe. Authorities say Lakanwal drove from Bellingham, Washington, carrying a stolen firearm; he has pleaded not guilty and was shot during the encounter. The federal transfer is procedural and does not itself impose a death sentence; further court decisions will determine whether prosecutors pursue capital charges.
Federal Firearms Charges Shift Guard Shooting Case To District Court, Allowing Death-Penalty Review
A makeshift memorial of flags, flowers and other items is seen on November 30, 2025, outside of Farragut West Station, near the site where two National Guard members were shot in Washington. - Jose Luis Magana/AP
Federal prosecutors have filed new firearms charges against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, and moved his case to U.S. District Court — a transfer that allows review of whether federal capital penalties may be considered.
Charges and Court Transfer
Lakanwal was charged in a federal complaint with transporting a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit an offense punishable by more than one year, and with transporting a stolen firearm in interstate commerce. He remains charged in D.C. Superior Court with first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and illegal possession of a firearm in connection with the Nov. 26 ambush that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and seriously wounded Specialist Andrew Wolfe, 24. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty to the D.C. charges.
"The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
What Happened
Authorities say the attack occurred outside a subway station roughly three blocks from the White House. Prosecutors allege Lakanwal drove from Bellingham, Washington, to Washington, D.C., while carrying a stolen firearm and ambushed the two National Guard members. Lakanwal was shot during the encounter and has been detained.
Background
Officials identified Lakanwal as an Afghan national who, according to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, "worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force" in Kandahar. He entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the program that evacuated and resettled many Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Next Steps
The case's transfer to federal court opens the procedural path for prosecutors to request review of capital punishment options; D.C. Superior Court does not impose the death penalty. A federal judge will decide whether to allow capital consideration, and the investigation and legal proceedings remain ongoing. Lakanwal's defense counsel was not immediately available for comment.
