DC shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal's neighbor says he ‘disappeared’ two weeks ago
WASHINGTON, DC: Following the tragic shooting of two National Guard members in DC on Wednesday, November 26, which led to the death of one of them, the neighbour of the shooting suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was later shot and detained, has revealed that he "disappeared" from his residence two weeks ago.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal was polite and quiet
Mohammad Sherzad, a neighbour of Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s living in Bellingham, Washington, told The Associated Press that the 29-year-old was polite, quiet, and spoke very little English.
Sherzad said that he attended the same mosque as Lakanwal and had heard from other members that Lakanwal was struggling to find work.
He even noted that some of his children attended the same school as Lakanwal’s children.
“He was so quiet, and the kids were so polite, they were so playful. But we didn’t see anything bad about him. He was looking OK,” Sherzad said.
Lakanwal was an independent contractor for Amazon Flex, working as a delivery driver, and according to the company, he had not been an active driver since August 2025.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal was dealing with trauma
It was revealed that he was part of a CIA-backed Afghan paramilitary unit known for its rapid and brutal raids during the US war in Afghanistan, according to various news reports, and is said to have had long-term psychological trauma from years of combat, which friends suggest might have been a factor in the violent outburst.
According to the New York Times, a childhood friend of Lakanwal’s said that he suffered mental problems from what he saw in Afghanistan. “When he saw blood, bodies, and the wounded, he could not tolerate it. It put a lot of pressure on his mind,” they said.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal traveled across the country before attack
🚨#BREAKING: Watch as new footage shows the Afghan national suspect exchanging gunfire with National Guard members during the Washington, D.C. shooting. pic.twitter.com/gah6t1Q0DK
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) November 27, 2025
According to prosecutors, before the attack, Rahmanullah Lakanwal traveled across the country, driving his car from Washington state to Washington, DC, covering a distance of over 2,734 miles.
Lakanwa allegedly opened fire at two National Guard members, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, who were deployed with the West Virginia National Guard as part of President Donald Trump’s crime crackdown initiative.
While Beckstorm succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, Wolfe continues to be in a critical condition.
Following Beckstrom’s death, US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro said the charges against Lakanwal would be upgraded to first-degree murder.
He faces one count of first-degree murder, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
