Officials say the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, faces assault with intent to kill while armed.
WASHINGTON — Federal and local authorities on Thursday detailed a cross-country path to a downtown ambush that left two West Virginia National Guard soldiers in critical condition, identifying the suspected gunman as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal and calling the midday shooting a deliberate attack blocks from the White House.
The case matters because it strikes at a security mission that has placed thousands of Guard personnel on the streets of the nation’s capital and because investigators say the suspect traveled from Washington state before opening fire. Prosecutors outlined early charges and left open the prospect of more serious counts. Agents seized electronics in the Pacific Northwest and interviewed contacts in Southern California while D.C. homicide detectives built a timeline from traffic cameras and witness videos. Officials said the public should expect periodic briefings but cautioned that motive remains unknown.
Shots rang out around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday near 17th and I streets NW as the soldiers conducted high-visibility patrols. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the gunman fired “ambush style,” first striking one soldier, then leaning over to shoot again before turning his weapon on the second. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the attack “appeared targeted” and praised fast responses by nearby patrols. The suspect was hit during the exchange and taken into custody at the scene, where officers recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, mapped bullet trajectories and pulled footage from storefront cameras and Metro entrances. Blocks were taped off into the evening as forensics teams scanned sidewalks and bus shelters for trace evidence.
FBI Director Kash Patel said agents are treating the case as an attack on federal officers while also examining whether there were overseas ties or stateside assistance. A search warrant team in Bellingham, Wash., collected “numerous electronic devices,” Patel said, and agents interviewed people in San Diego with knowledge of the suspect’s movements. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Lakanwal previously worked with a U.S. partner force in Kandahar that operated alongside American agencies before 2021. Records reviewed by officials indicate he entered the United States in 2021 under a program for Afghan allies, filed for asylum in 2024 and received approval in April 2025. Officials stressed that investigators have not concluded why the attack occurred or whether anyone else helped plan it.
The Guard soldiers were identified by local reports as Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Specialist Andrew Wolfe, 24, both assigned to the West Virginia National Guard and part of a broader federal deployment. More than 2,000 Guard members have been posted around the district in recent months, and the shooting unfolded in one of the city’s busiest corridors, where offices, hotels and transit stations cluster. The proximity to the White House heightened tensions and prompted a visible show of security as dusk fell—armored SUVs idled, K-9 teams swept curbs and uniformed troops stood watch under flashing lights while commuters detoured around the closures.
Prosecutors said Lakanwal faces three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, along with criminal possession of a weapon. Pirro said the charges could be upgraded to first-degree murder if either soldier dies. The suspect remained hospitalized under guard Thursday; a court appearance will be scheduled after doctors clear his transfer. Detectives are reconstructing the trip from Washington state using license-plate readers, cell-site data and motel records to determine where he stopped and whether anyone met him en route. Officials said they are also testing ballistics and performing gun-trace work to learn how the revolver was obtained and whether additional firearms were cached elsewhere.
People nearby described a stark shift from routine to panic. “I heard three pops and thought at first it was construction,” said Alyssa McCoy, who was leaving a coffee shop when officers shouted for pedestrians to move back. A Metro bus operator said riders crouched behind seats until police waved them forward. A hotel security supervisor said he reviewed camera footage for investigators and then helped direct guests through a loading dock to avoid the cordon. As floodlights lit the block, Guard members in reflective belts formed a line along the sidewalk while crime scene technicians photographed spent rounds beside yellow markers.
By late Thursday, officials said both soldiers remained in critical condition at separate trauma centers. Investigators continued canvassing offices for footage and requested residents to share recordings with the homicide branch. The next public update is expected once a judge sets an initial appearance and agents complete first-round searches of the suspect’s devices.
Author note: Last updated November 27, 2025.