Federal officials are now treating the ambush shooting of two National Guard members near the White House as a terrorism case, which is increasing the pressure on investigators and fueling a fresh political debate about how the US vets Afghan evacuees.
According to DW, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has taken the lead on the probe after 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly opened fire on two West Virginia National Guard soldiers just blocks from the White House on the eve of Thanksgiving.
Fox 56 News reports that both Guardsmen identified as 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, remain in critical condition after what officials describe as an “ambush-style” attack near a busy DC Metro station. Before the FBI formally took over, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said, “We are praying that they survive and that the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree.”
Both Sarah Beckstrom (20) and Andrew Wolfe (24) were sworn in less than 24 hours before they were shot on the street in DC.
Both have undergone surgery and are in critical condition.
Please say a prayer for them 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/ULpy5CcAnJ
— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) November 27, 2025
FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters the National Guards incident is now being treated as “an active terrorism investigation.” He confirmed that multiple search warrants have been executed and that agents are digging into the suspect’s contacts “both abroad and in the United States.” Patel also said investigators have verified that Lakanwal previously had “a relationship with partner forces,” meaning he worked alongside US military or intelligence units in Afghanistan.
Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era program that brought roughly 76,000 Afghans to America after the US withdrawal and Taliban takeover. According to Reuters, he later applied for asylum and was approved earlier this year. US authorities have also confirmed that he served in Afghanistan’s elite Commando Corps and with a CIA-backed unit before resettling in Washington state with his wife and five children.
🚨BREAKING: Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who shot two National Guardsmen, is an Afghan national and is allegedly a well-trained terrorist who may have previously lived in Iran before entering the United States.
According to sources, Lakanwal waited for the Guardsmen to turn a corner,… pic.twitter.com/lFtAiAqXKI
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) November 27, 2025
The shooting unfolded Wednesday afternoon as the Guardsmen carried out a high-visibility patrol near Farragut West Metro station. This was part of Trump administration orders deploying more than 2,000 Guard troops to DC to combat crime and support immigration enforcement. Police say Lakanwal “came around the corner,” pulled a .357 revolver, and opened fire at close range before other Guard members and officers shot and stabbed him bringing the attack to an end.
He now faces multiple federal and local charges, including three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and weapons offenses, and prosecutors say charges could be upgraded to first-degree murder if either Guardsman dies.
President Donald Trump condemned the shooting as “an act of terror” in a video statement from Florida and ordered an immediate review of all Afghan evacuees who came into the country under Operation Allies Welcome. Shortly afterward, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it was suspending all Afghan-related immigration applications indefinitely while vetting procedures are reviewed.
The FBI continues to investigate this afternoon’s shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. If you have any information, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit https://t.co/iL7sD5efWD.
— FBI (@FBI) November 26, 2025
Of course, there are those who are now concerned that the administration’s decision could unfairly impact and penalize thousands of law‑abiding Afghan allies for the alleged crimes of one man. On the other hand, supporters say the case proves vetting must be far stricter. With the FBI still piecing together motive and possible international links, DC remains on edge as two young soldiers fight for their lives amid a heated immigration debate.
