Washington, DC [US], November 28 : US President Donald Trump called the alleged gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a "savage monster," after one of the two injured National Guard personnel died of her wounds, while another is critical and fighting for his life.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, one of the two West Virginia National Guard personnel shot near the White House on Wednesday afternoon (local time), had died from her injuries. Trump said he had spoken with Beckstrom's family and described her as "an incredible person, outstanding in every single way."
Speaking to US service members during his Thanksgiving call, Trump described the shooting as a terrorist act. He noted that the second Guardsman, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remained in critical condition and was "fighting for his life."
Linking the attack to broader security concerns, Trump criticised the Afghan resettlement and asylum vetting systems, arguing that shortcomings in those processes had enabled individuals like the suspect to enter the country. He said national security and immigration enforcement would remain major focus areas as the case progresses.
As further information emerged, officials confirmed that Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of shooting the two soldiers, had previously worked within one of the CIA's covert Afghan combat units. The 29-year-old had served in the CIA-backed Zero Units, which fought the Taliban and later helped secure Kabul airport during the final phase of the 2021 withdrawal.
Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, the programme created to resettle Afghans who had supported American personnel or agencies.
In a statement to CBS, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said, "The Biden Administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the US Government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation."
According to US officials, Lakanwal drove more than 2,500 miles from Bellingham in Washington state to Washington, DC, before the shooting. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro described the attack as "ambush-style" and said he used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. Beckstrom later died, while Wolfe remains in critical condition.
National Guard personnel at the scene shot and detained Lakanwal. He has been charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and a firearms offence, and is currently being treated under guard.
Earlier at a press briefing, FBI Director Kash Patel also acknowledged Lakanwal's previous role with US partner units, saying the suspect "had a relationship in Afghanistan with partner forces" before entering the United States.
Following the attack, Trump had denounced the shooting as an "act of terror" and announced that the US would stop processing immigration requests from Afghans. He added that the country "must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden."
Trump also said that an extra 500 National Guard troops would be deployed to Washington, where more than 2,000 personnel have already been stationed since August.
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