People living in a modest apartment block in Bellingham, Washington, say they never imagined the man who kept mostly to himself — Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29 — would suddenly be at the center of a nationwide tragedy.
Since arriving in the U.S. in 2021, neighbors described him as low‑key and soft‑spoken, someone who preferred staying home with his wife and five kids rather than mingling.
The Raid That Shook the Building
Everything changed late Wednesday when, according to residents, FBI agents stormed Lakanwal’s apartment about 16 hours after a brutal shooting near the White House.
One neighbor recalled hearing pounding on the door followed by agents shouting, “FBI!” Their small building, normally silent except for kids running around occasionally, had never seen that level of chaos.
The Attack That Sent Shockwaves Through DC
Authorities say Lakanwal drove across the country before allegedly shooting two Washington, DC National Guard members — 24‑year‑old Andrew Wolfe and 20‑year‑old Sarah Beckstrom — on Wednesday afternoon. Both were shot in the head.
Beckstrom later died; Wolfe remains in critical condition.
Officials described the attack as deliberate, even ambush‑like.
Sources said the shooter first targeted one guardsman at close range, then fired again when the other tried to take cover behind a bus stop.
A third guard member eventually took the suspect down, and Lakanwal himself was shot during the confrontation.
The Family Behind the Headlines
Neighbors who had been inside Lakanwal’s apartment said the living space was sparse — hardly any furniture, no real beds, and the family reportedly slept on couch cushions.
The kids, the oldest around 14, were seen playing outside occasionally, and Lakanwal himself was known mostly for spending evenings playing FIFA or Call of Duty.
Despite the activity inside the apartment, people who lived nearby say the family “never made a peep.”
A Town That Embraced Him After Afghanistan
Local residents noted that Bellingham, a progressive pocket of Washington state, tends to be especially welcoming to newcomers, including refugees from Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal.
Many said the community prides itself on being diverse and open — which only deepened their shock when they learned someone from their own street was accused of such a violent act.
Federal Investigators Dig Into Motive
As of now, investigators say Lakanwal has offered no explanation and is refusing to cooperate.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency launched a “coast‑to‑coast” investigation, including raids at two separate Washington‑area addresses tied to the suspect.
Law enforcement sources believe the attack was purposeful rather than random, but they still don’t know why it happened.
Charges That Could Soon Turn Even More Serious
Before Beckstrom’s death, DC U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Lakanwal would face multiple charges, including assault with intent to kill and possession of a firearm during a violent crime.
She warned that if either soldier succumbed to injuries, first‑degree murder charges would follow.
Now that Beckstrom has died, upgraded charges appear likely.
Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested that the White House could pursue terrorism charges — and even the death penalty.
A Controversial Immigration Timeline Emerges
The political storm around the incident erupted almost instantly.
Former CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Fox News that Lakanwal had previously worked with U.S. forces in Afghanistan as part of a partner group in Kandahar — one of many Afghans brought to the U.S. during Operation Allies Welcome in 2021.
The Biden administration initially paroled him into the country, but his immigration story grew more complicated over time.
His visa expired, and he applied for asylum in 2024 — a request the Trump administration approved in April 2025.
Both sides of the political aisle have now pointed fingers at each other over who bears responsibility.
The White House Fires Back
A White House official insisted that regardless of asylum, Lakanwal would not have been removed because he received parole when he first entered in 2021.
They argued that Biden’s legislation and the 2023 Ahmed Court Settlement required asylum claims for Afghans to be fast‑tracked — meaning the government had to process Lakanwal’s case either way.
The Trump administration, meanwhile, has pushed back sharply, accusing Biden of failing to secure vetting protocols and calling him responsible for creating the circumstances that allowed Lakanwal to come to the U.S. in the first place.
DC Tightens Security as the Fallout Spreads
Following the attack, President Donald Trump ordered 500 more troops into Washington, DC. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth condemned the shooting as a “cowardly, dastardly act targeting the best of America.”
In an unusual move, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services temporarily halted all immigration processing for Afghan nationals while officials re‑evaluate security procedures — a drastic step that underscores how seriously the federal government is treating the case.
Trump has vowed that the suspect — whom he called “the animal” — will face severe consequences.
A Nation Waits for Answers
For now, unanswered questions hang in the air:
Why did someone who lived so quietly do something so violent?
Was the attack planned long before he left Washington state?
And what will this case mean for the thousands of Afghans still going through U.S. immigration channels?
The investigation is far from over, and officials say there’s more to uncover before the country fully understands what happened — and why.
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