Prosecutors have moved a case against an Afghan national accused of killing a National Guard soldier and injuring another in Washington, D.C., to federal court, opening the possibility of the death penalty. Rahmanullah Lakanwal faces charges including first-degree murder and firearms offenses related to the Thanksgiving week attack. The victims were U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who died from her wounds, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who survived but remains in recovery.
The Justice Department filed a criminal complaint on Tuesday against 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, charging him with two federal firearms offenses: transporting or shipping a stolen firearm in interstate commerce and transporting or receiving firearms in interstate or foreign commerce with intent to commit a crime. Additional charges include first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault with intent to kill while armed. These federal charges transfer the case from D.C. Superior Court to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Lakanwal is accused of shooting U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, both from the West Virginia National Guard, while they patrolled in the nation's capital during Thanksgiving week. Beckstrom succumbed to a head wound the day after the attack, while Wolfe, also shot in the head, was critically injured but is expected to recover after a long rehabilitation.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated, “The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here.” She added, “Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery.”
The complaint details that Lakanwal acted “purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice,” killing Beckstrom with a head shot and assaulting Wolfe similarly. Lakanwal, who was shot during the incident, pleaded not guilty to initial D.C. charges earlier this month.
Investigators say the weapon was a stolen .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, taken from a Seattle home in May 2023. On October 15, Lakanwal messaged an unnamed contact in Washington for an AR-15 or pistol, claiming need for rideshare work, though records show he had not driven for Lyft since May and his Uber account was banned. The contact provided the revolver, believing it was for protection as a driver. Lakanwal bought ammunition the next day and soon after searched “Washington, D.C.” and “The White House” on Google Maps.
