DC shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s neighbors say he barely spoke English and kept to himself

WASHINGTON, DC: As investigators piece together the hours and motivations behind the deadly ambush that rocked the nation’s capital this week, neighbors of suspected shooter Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, describe a man who barely spoke English, rarely stepped outside and spent most of his time playing video games.

The attack, carried out in Washington, DC on Wednesday, is now being probed as a premeditated 'act of terror'.

Residents who lived near the Afghan refugee’s family told the New York Post that although they knew a seven-member household lived upstairs, they “never made a peep.” Their apartment, one neighbor noted, appeared strangely bare, no beds, only cushions scattered on the floor.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal spent hours playing Call of Duty and FIFA

According to neighbors, Lakanwal’s routine seemed repetitive and solitary. He was often seen through the window or heard behind the thin apartment walls playing Call of Duty or FIFA, two games he reportedly spent hours on while avoiding social interaction.

He “didn’t speak much English,” one neighbor said, noting that communication with the family was minimal. The group, which included five children, kept entirely to themselves.

Lakanwal had worked as an Amazon Flex delivery driver, but only as an independent contractor, and hadn’t been active for months. Records show his last delivery happened in August, further adding to the picture of an increasingly isolated young man.

The family previously lived in Bellingham, Washington, before Lakanwal drove cross-country to DC, where he allegedly carried out the ambush-style attack that left one National Guardsman dead and another critically wounded.

Authorities say charges will be upgraded to first-degree murder

Speaking on 'Fox & Friends', Attorney Jeanine Pirro said investigators were preparing a significant escalation in charges.

“There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree,” Pirro said. “It is a premeditated murder. There was an ambush with a gun toward people who didn’t know what was coming.”

Lakanwal is reportedly not cooperating with authorities, and investigators have not identified a motive.

Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed that prosecutors would pursue the harshest punishment possible, calling Lakanwal a “monster” and promising to seek the death penalty once the case moves forward.

Lakanwal entered the US under Biden-era Afghan refugee program

Lakanwal had been granted asylum earlier this year under President Joe Biden’s resettlement program for Afghan refugees. He was part of the “Zero Units,” a CIA-backed Afghan paramilitary force, which allowed him expedited entry into the country.

Now, as he faces a likely death sentence, the fate of his family remains uncertain.

President Donald Trump addressed the issue briefly when asked whether the family could be deported.

“Well, we’re looking at that right now,” Trump said. “We’re looking at the whole situation with family. Tragic situation.”

With investigators poring over his digital footprint, travel history and communications, authorities say the case is far from closed and that more revelations about Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s secretive life are expected to emerge in the coming days.