DC Guard shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal may face death penalty after feds file new charges

WASHINGTON, DC: A federal judge on Tuesday, December 23, allowed new charges against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the man accused of shooting two DC National Guard members near the White House last month, a move that could make him eligible for the death penalty.

Prosecutors filed federal first-degree murder and firearms charges, transferring the case from the local court to the US District Court.

The escalation comes as investigators allege that the shooting was deliberate and premeditated. One service member was killed, while another survived and continues to recover. 

Case moved to federal court as prosecutors weigh death penalty 

Federal prosecutors charged Lakanwal, 29, with first-degree murder and multiple firearms-related offenses in connection with the November 26 shooting of West Virginia National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe.

Beckstrom, a 20-year-old Army specialist, later died from her injuries, while Wolfe, a 24-year-old Air Force staff sergeant, survived and is recovering. 

US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said transferring the case to federal court allows prosecutors to consider the most severe penalties available under the law.

The move replaces earlier proceedings in DC Superior Court, where Lakanwal had already been indicted on charges including first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill while armed. He has pleaded not guilty. 

This action "ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” Pirro said.

“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,” Pirro added.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has previously said federal prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty, and the newly filed charges underscore the possibility. 

Authorities allege premeditation and gun-buying attempts 

According to court filings, investigators allege that Lakanwal purchased a stolen .357 Magnum Smith and Wesson roughly two weeks before the shooting. 

The FBI said the firearm had been reported stolen from a residence in Washington state. Surveillance footage and receipts also showed Lakanwal buying ammunition on November 15.

The FBI stated that Lakanwal "purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice," killed Beckstrom and shot Wolfe with the intent to kill. 

Lakanwal entered the United States as part of a large evacuation effort in 2021 following the collapse of the Afghanistan regime.

Lakanwal reportedly served as part of an elite, CIA-backed paramilitary force before being evacuated to the US as part of 'Operation Allies Welcome' under President Joe Biden.

Since arriving in the US, he briefly worked as a rideshare driver before being barred from one platform earlier this year.