The Washington, DC, National Guard shooting suspect actually drove across the country from the state of Washington to carry out his attack, officials said during a press conference.
Providing an update on the horrific attack, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro first made it clear that all hearts go out to the victims and their families. The two victims are currently in critical condition.
The suspect in the attack has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who worked with the CIA as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and came into the country under former President Joe Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome program following what Pirro described as “the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
“A lone gunman opened fire without provocation, ambush style, armed with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. The guardsman is struck, goes down, and then the shooter leans over and strikes the guardsman again,” she said, describing the attack. “Another guardsman is struck several times. Fellow guardsmen who were there responded immediately, engaging the suspect, neutralizing the threat, and subduing him at the scene.”
“He was transported to a local hospital where he remains, as we speak, under heavy guard. Thanks to the swift and coordinated response of the National Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department, no additional victims were harmed, and the scene was secured within minutes,” she said, providing more details on the suspect, who she she said resided in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and who they believe to be his five children.
“We’re working very closely with our federal partners, especially DHS and the FBI, to review his immigration history and the vetting process itself,” she said, revealing that the suspect drove across the country specifically to carry out this attack.
“What we know about him is that he drove his vehicle across country from the state of Washington with the intended target of coming to our nation’s capital,” Pirro revealed.
She said:
As we stand here today, the charges that are appropriate right now are three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed… he will also be charged with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces 15 years under the assault with the intent to kill. We intend to continue monitoring what the charges will be depending upon the well-being of the guardsmen. We are praying that they survive and that the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree.
FBI Director Kash Patel added that a federal investigation is underway and that search warrants have been executed, including for the suspect’s last known residence in the state of Washington.
“The search warrant was executed on that house last night or early this morning, and it is an ongoing process,” Patel said. “All the individuals found in the house have been interviewed, and some interviews remain ongoing. We will not stop until we interview anyone and everyone associated with the subject, the house, and every piece of his life.”
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