US authorities have revealed that Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspected gunman who shot two National Guard members near the White House on Wednesday, had previously worked alongside the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Afghanistan.
Gatekeepers News reports that Lakanwal allegedly opened fire on 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe just a mile from the White House, triggering a lockdown in the area.
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Beckstrom had died from her injuries, while Wolfe “is fighting for his life.”
Trump described the suspect as an “animal” and vowed he “would pay a steep price.”
Kash Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), confirmed Lakanwal’s prior relationship with US partner forces in Afghanistan.
“There is confirmation that the suspect had a relationship in Afghanistan with partner forces,” Patel said, adding that the FBI has opened a broad terrorism investigation to determine whether the suspect had any associates.
In a separate statement, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Lakanwal was brought to the US because of his “prior work with the U.S. Government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar.”
Ratcliffe added that the suspect’s relocation followed the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.
Lakanwal arrived in the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome. He applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted it in April 2025.
A former military commander who served with him told the BBC’s Afghan Service that Lakanwal, described as a “sporty and jolly character,” had served as a GPS tracker specialist. He reportedly helped guard US forces at Kabul airport as thousands attempted to flee Afghanistan ahead of the Taliban takeover.
His unit — locally known as the Scorpion Forces — initially operated under the CIA before being absorbed into Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS). The unit was moved from Kandahar to Kabul five days before the Taliban captured the city. They continued to secure the airport for six more days until they, too, were airlifted to the United States.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect will face three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, in addition to firearm possession charges. Her comments came before confirmation of Beckstrom’s death.
