An Afghan national accused of launching a deadly ambush-style attack on National Guard troops near the White House entered a not guilty plea Tuesday to every count in a 17-charge federal superseding indictment.
Earlier in the day, the Department of Justice made public the indictment against 30-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a former CIA employee in Afghanistan. Authorities allege Lakanwal fatally shot West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured Guardsman Andrew Wolfe in the November attack.
Federal prosecutors said the case could qualify for the death penalty because the charges include first-degree murder.
“Sarah Beckstrom was 20 years old, serving her country in the nation’s capital, when Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly drove across the country and executed her in cold blood steps from the White House,” said Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. “That is not just a crime, it is a major offense against the United States. We will pursue every penalty the law permits as we seek justice for Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe.”
The weapon identified by prosecutors as being used in the Nov. 26, 2025, shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., was a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)
