National Guard shooting suspect set for arraignment

WASHINGTON, D.C. (7News) — The gunman accused of killing a National Guard member and severely injuring another in Washington, D.C. last fall, will be arraigned on Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, will be read his nine charges for the first time, which include first-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed. He’s also charged with:

• Transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit a felony
• Four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense
• Two counts of assault with intent to kill for additional victims

RELATED | Lakanwal newly indicted in shooting of guardsmen near White House

The arraignment was scheduled to happen earlier, but the snow emergency in D.C. made it difficult for the defense to meet with Lakanwal to prepare him for the arraignment.

According to court documents, Lakanwal drove his Toyota Prius from Washington state to the District of Columbia.

On Nov. 26, the eve of Thanksgiving, he opened fire on West Virginia guardsmen Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe in an “ambush style” attack near the Farragut West Metro Station.

National Guard members 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe (right) and 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom (left) remain in critical condition after being shot in D.C. on Nov. 26, 2025. Pirro said she believes both were “sworn in less than 24 hours before they were shot.” (7News)

Two National Guard majors who were nearby responded and subdued Lakanwal. Investigators at the scene recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, reported stolen in Seattle in 2023.

Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving Day. Wolfe, 24, remained in critical condition for weeks.

Since the shooting, Wolfe has made significant physical progress and is expected to undergo cranioplasty, or skull reconstruction surgery, in early March, according to his mother.

READ | Andrew Wolfe to undergo skull reconstruction after DC National Guard shooting, mother says

Wolfe made his first statement since the shooting on Tuesday, with the help of his mother. It reads:

“I’m grateful to be alive. Thank you for your prayers and support. It’s all been overwhelming and I’m trying still and determined. It’s been hard to go through something like this. Thank you for everything.”

Lakanwal is an Afghan national who previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan, federal officials have said.

He was among thousands of Afghans evacuated to the U.S. after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she will seek the death penalty against Lakanwal.