Gunman in DC shooting of 2 National Guard members pleads not guilty

Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News on Feb 4, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

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.

_____