FBI Raids Homes After 2 National Guards shot Near White House/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Two National Guard members were critically injured in a shooting near the White House, allegedly by an Afghan national with past CIA ties. The FBI raided multiple homes as part of a terrorism investigation. Officials are scrutinizing U.S. immigration policies and vetting procedures in response.
White House Shooting Investigation Quick Looks
- Two National Guard members critically wounded near the White House
- Suspect identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, Afghan national
- FBI raids homes in Washington state and San Diego
- Authorities seized electronics and interviewed family members
- Lakanwal previously worked with CIA-linked units in Afghanistan
- Entered U.S. via Operation Allies Welcome in 2021
- Shot while ambushing patrolling Guard with .357 Magnum
- Suspect wounded in gunfire exchange and arrested
- Faces terrorism-related charges and potential life sentence
- Immigration vetting processes under federal review
- Trump halts Afghan immigration processing indefinitely
- Trump orders 500 more Guard troops to D.C.
Deep Look: FBI Raids Homes After Afghan National Allegedly Shoots Guard Near White House
Federal agents launched a terrorism investigation and executed search warrants at multiple residences in Washington state and San Diego following the critical shooting of two National Guard members near the White House. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who once worked with CIA-affiliated units, allegedly ambushed the guards on Wednesday in a targeted attack.
According to officials, Lakanwal drove cross-country from Washington state with the intention of committing the assault in the nation’s capital. Armed with a .357 Magnum revolver, he allegedly opened fire on Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, as they patrolled the area. Both remain in critical condition.
FBI Director Kash Patel revealed that electronic devices including phones, laptops, and tablets were seized during the raids, and the suspect’s family was questioned. At a press conference, U.S. Attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, stated that the shooter fired multiple rounds at both service members. Lakanwal was wounded in a shootout with law enforcement and taken into custody.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the Justice Department intends to pursue terrorism charges and seek life imprisonment. The charges currently filed include three counts of assault with intent to kill and illegal firearm possession during a violent crime. Authorities warned that first-degree murder charges could follow if either Guard member dies.
Lakanwal reportedly entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome — a program established to provide safe harbor for Afghan allies of the U.S. military after the Taliban takeover. He was granted asylum in April 2025, three months into Trump’s second term. Though he had no prior criminal record, his past involvement with CIA-backed units in Afghanistan raises questions about how thoroughly he was vetted.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that Lakanwal previously worked alongside CIA-supported forces during the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan. His employment history, paired with his abrupt decision to cross the country and commit an act of violence in Washington, D.C., has alarmed security experts and policymakers alike.
President Donald Trump, addressing the nation from his Mar-a-Lago estate, condemned the attack as a “heinous act of hatred and terror.” He placed blame squarely on the Biden administration’s immigration and vetting protocols and announced an indefinite halt on Afghan immigration processing. Vice President JD Vance echoed those sentiments, citing the shooting as justification for the administration’s hardline immigration policies.
Critics argue that the administration is using the incident to justify harsh and often indiscriminate immigration tactics. Immigration rights groups pointed out that many detained or deported individuals under the new policies had no criminal background and were lawfully residing in the U.S.
The two injured Guard members were part of a larger law enforcement and military presence in Washington, D.C., established by Trump in August as part of a controversial crackdown on crime and immigration. Following the shooting, Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to deploy to the capital, adding to the 2,200 already stationed there.
While Trump has claimed that crime in Washington has significantly dropped since the troop deployment, police data has not corroborated those claims. As officials continue to investigate the shooting and assess national security implications, scrutiny intensifies over the balance between safety and humanitarian commitments made to foreign allies.
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