Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, has been identified by law enforcement sources as the gunman responsible for shooting two National Guard members near the White House on the day before Thanksgiving. This shocking incident has cast a shadow over the holiday season, as both victims remain in critical condition.
The suspect, Lakanwal, was apprehended on Wednesday. Authorities are currently investigating the shooting as a potential act of international terrorism, raising concerns about national security just blocks away from the heart of the nation’s capital.
Lakanwal’s journey to the United States began in 2021 when he entered the country legally through humanitarian parole. This was part of the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, a program designed to assist Afghans at risk following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent rise of the Taliban. This initiative specifically aimed to provide refuge to those who had previously supported U.S. military efforts in the region.
Interestingly, Lakanwal’s asylum application had been approved during the Trump administration, adding another layer of complexity to his case. As more information emerges, the background and motivations of Lakanwal are under intense scrutiny.
Pathway to the US
This incident has prompted a swift response from the National Guard and local authorities, highlighting the ongoing challenges in balancing national security and humanitarian efforts. The investigation continues, with the nation watching closely as details unfold.
The suspect reportedly had his asylum application approved during the Trump administration.
Intelligence sources told Fox News Digital that Lakanwal had a prior relationship with various entities in the U.S. government, including the CIA, due to his work as a member of a partner force in Kandahar.
“In the wake of the disastrous Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation,” CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Fox News Digital.
Streets are blocked after reports of two National Guard soldiers being shot near the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
LIFE IN THE US
Lakanwal had been living in Washington state, two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
His former landlord, Kristina Widman, told the outlet that Lakamal arrived in Bellingham, Wash., about four years ago with his wife and five children.
How he traveled the roughly 2,500 miles to Washington, D.C., ahead of Wednesday’s shooting remains unclear.
How the shooting unfolded
Jeffery Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators reviewed video that shows the attacker “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the Guardsmen. Other Guardsmen ran over and tackled the shooter, and he was taken into custody. Investigators believe he was the only gunman.
Emergency personnel gather in a cordoned-off area where National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Carroll said it remains unclear whether a Guardsman or a responding officer shot the suspect. He said no motive has been established.
The alleged gunman was “severely wounded” before being taken into custody, President Donald Trump posted to his Truth Social account Wednesday afternoon.
Trump later said the “heinous assault” was an “act of evil and [an] act of hatred and an act of terror. It was a crime against our entire nation. It was a crime against humanity.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the attack a “targeted shooting.”
Officials did not immediately provide updates on the extent of the injuries to the Guardsmen or the suspect.
