Suspect in Washington National Guard shooting was Afghan army veteran who served alongside US Special Forces, according to media reports and officials
WASHINGTON: The suspect in a shooting that critically wounded two National Guard soldiers near the White House was an Afghan national who previously served alongside US troops.
Multiple US media outlets identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, citing law enforcement officials and a relative.
NBC News reported that Lakanwal served in the Afghan army for 10 years supporting US Special Forces before arriving in the United States in September 2021.
Fox News, citing CIA Director John Ratcliffe, stated Lakanwal had worked with various US government entities including intelligence services.
President Donald Trump confirmed an Afghan man who fled the Taliban was the suspect and had been taken into custody.
Trump noted the suspect arrived in 2021 “on those infamous flights” referring to evacuation flights during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The daylight shooting occurred two blocks from the White House near a metro station during busy downtown hours.
The incident brings renewed attention to Trump’s controversial militarized anti-crime initiatives nationwide. – AFP
