New details are unfolding about the dramatic cross‑country journey and ambush shooting that left two National Guard soldiers fighting for their lives just blocks from the White House. So far, the timeline shows that the suspect, an Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is said to have traveled from Washington state all the way to DC before he allegedly targeted newly sworn-in Guardsmen who were out on security patrols in downtown.
According to OANN, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro shared that Lakanwal arrived in the US back in 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome. Together with his wife and five children, he settled in Washington state.Fast forward to 2024, and Lawankal then applied for asylum and was approved in 2025. He had no criminal record here and had previously served with elite Afghan forces that collaborated with American troops and a CIA-linked unit.
This morning, we can confirm that my constituent Andrew Wolfe, 24, from Berkeley County, and his fellow National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom, 20, have successfully made it through surgery but are still in critical condition. Their families are with them in the hospital.
I am… pic.twitter.com/brcCRe0Ftm
— Rep. Riley M. Moore (@RepRileyMoore) November 27, 2025
Investigators are still trying to figure out his exact route and timeline for the drive Lakanwal made across the country, reports The Economic Times.What we do know is he left the Pacific Northwest earlier this month before making his way, He then arrived in the DC area right before Thanksgiving. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that his agents have executed several search warrants, including one at Lakanwal’s last known home, as they dig into digital and travel records to piece together how he planned this attack.
The ambush happened on Wednesday around 2:15 p.m. near Farragut West Metro station, a bustling area just blocks away from the White House.Two members of the West Virginia National Guard—20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, who had just been sworn in less than a day before this incident, were on foot patrol in uniform. They were part of Trump’s expanded National Guard deployment to DC, which a court ruled unlawful earlier this month.
Tragic.
A man we brought here as an ally, likely scarred by war, ends up killing the very uniform he once fought beside.
This isn’t a neat MAGA slogan story — it’s a story of untreated trauma, easy guns, and a system that airlifts people out, then just leaves them to unravel.
— AnatolijUkraine (@AnatoliUkraine) November 27, 2025
According to DC Police and Guard officials, these soldiers were doing a “high-visibility patrol” when Lakanwal allegedly came around a corner, pulled out a .357 revolver, and started firing without any warning. Both Guardsmen were hit multiple times in the head, chest, and torso before fellow Guardsmen and officers returned fire and managed to tackle him, leaving him seriously hurt but alive.
The shooting set off an immediate security lockdown around the White House. The Secret Service tightened access and the local police flooded into the area. Beckstrom and Wolfe were rushed into emergency surgery and are still in critical condition. Meanwhile, Lakanwal is in the hospital under guard facing some serious charges including assault with intent to kill while armed and firearm offenses.
In the hours following the attack, officials released names of both the victims and suspect. Immediately, the community responded with schools in West Virginia paying tribute to Wolfe and Beckstrom. Pirro indicated that if either soldier doesn’t make it, prosecutors will escalate charges to first-degree murder.
Tragic.
A man we brought here as an ally, likely scarred by war, ends up killing the very uniform he once fought beside.
This isn’t a neat MAGA slogan story — it’s a story of untreated trauma, easy guns, and a system that airlifts people out, then just leaves them to unravel.
— AnatolijUkraine (@AnatoliUkraine) November 27, 2025
On the political front, this whole timeline has sparked quite a debate. Trump quickly labeled it “an act of terror,” ordered an additional 500 Guard troops into DC, and called for a thorough review of Afghan evacuees brought in under Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome. In response, immigration officials paused Afghan-related cases as critics accused the administration of using this single horrific event to justify broader crackdowns.
With the FBI treating it as an active terrorism investigation while still trying to find a motive, this situation involving one man’s alleged journey across America to ambush two young soldiers has become a major talking point. It has raised tough questions about vetting processes, security measures, and what risks Guard members face while patrolling our streets.
