The gunman accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., killing one and seriously wounding the other, has pleaded not guilty to the nine charges against him — including first-degree murder.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was also shot before he was taken into custody, made his brief court appearance Wednesday in a wheelchair and an orange jumpsuit, CNN reported. In addition to the murder charge, 29-year-old Lakanwal is also facing counts of transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit a felony, three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense.
The Department of Justice had said it will be seeking the death penalty in the case.
On Nov. 26, Lakanwal allegedly used a powerful Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum to open fire on law enforcement near the Farragut Square metro stop, just blocks away from the White House.
Both 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, were shot. The had been deployed to the area as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on what it has called rampant crime in major cities across the U.S, .
The gunman was eventually wounded by another member of the National Guard and arrested.
A day after the shooting, on Thanksgiving, President Trump announced Beckstrom had died, remembering her as a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” and “outstanding in every way.” Both Beckstrom and Wolfe each suffered a gunshot to the back of the head, according to a federal criminal complaint, cited by NBC News.
Wolfe, meanwhile, continues to recover. He was transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility in December.
Authorities have said that Lakanwal entered the U.S. in September 2021 through the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome initiative, a program that helped resettle Afghan allies who worked with the U.S. during the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Lakanwal worked with the CIA by way of the “Zero Units,” a group of Afghan commandos tasked with missions planned by the agency.
Most recently, he’d been living in Bellingham, Wash., with his wife and five kids. He applied for asylum during the Biden administration, but it was granted last year while Trump was in office.
His next court appearance is slated for May.
