National Guard Shooting Suspect Showed Years of Distress Before Attack
The Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members just blocks from the White House had been experiencing severe mental health challenges for years, according to emails obtained by The Associated Press.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, faces first-degree murder charges after Wednesday's attack that killed 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe.
Mounting Concerns Before the Attack
Emails reveal that Lakanwal's behavior had been deteriorating sharply since March 2023, when he quit his job and began experiencing what advocates described as alternating periods of dark isolation and reckless cross-country driving.
A community advocate working with Afghan families in Washington state reached out to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants in January 2024, expressing concern that Lakanwal was becoming suicidal. The advocate described a man who was "not functional as a person, father and provider" and whose behavior had changed dramatically.
The emails paint a troubling picture of Lakanwal's struggle to adapt to life in the United States after arriving through Operation Allies Welcome in 2021. The program evacuated tens of thousands of Afghans following the American withdrawal.
Family Struggles and Erratic Behavior
Lakanwal had settled in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five sons, all under age 12, but faced significant challenges. According to the emails, he would sometimes spend weeks in his darkened room, not speaking to anyone, including his wife and older children.
Family members often had to send his toddler sons into his room with messages because he wouldn't respond to anyone else. On occasions when his wife left him with the children to visit relatives, the children reportedly went unbathed, wore unchanged clothes, and didn't eat well, prompting concerns from their school.
The family faced eviction at one point in 2023 after months of unpaid rent, highlighting the severity of their situation.
Pattern of Isolation and Manic Travel
Lakanwal's behavior followed a disturbing pattern, according to the community advocate. He would alternate between extended periods of isolation and what were described as "manic" episodes lasting one to two weeks.
During these episodes, he would take the family car and drive nonstop across the country, traveling to Chicago on one occasion and Arizona on another. This pattern of behavior continued until his recent cross-country drive from Bellingham to Washington, DC.
Despite these concerning signs, the community member who had worked with Lakanwal expressed shock at the violence, telling The Associated Press they couldn't reconcile the attack with memories of seeing him play with his young sons.
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants attempted to contact Lakanwal and his family in March 2024 after receiving the emails, but according to the community member, Lakanwal apparently refused assistance.
As investigators continue to determine a motive for the attack, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on NBC's "Meet the Press" that officials believe Lakanwal was radicalized after arriving in the United States, though she provided no additional information to support this claim.
Lakanwal had previously worked in a special Afghan Army unit known as a Zero Unit, which received backing from the CIA during the conflict in Afghanistan.
