The suspect in Wednesday’s shooting in Washington, D.C., which seriously injured two National Guard members, was identified as an Afghan man who worked with the United States during the war in Afghanistan, including work with the CIA, before arriving in the United States under a Biden-era resettlement program in September 2021.
Key data
The alleged shooter has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who lives in Bellingham, Washington.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Thursday that Lakanwal worked with CIA-backed military units in Afghanistan, multiple outlets reported.
Addressing Wednesday night’s attacks, President Donald Trump said the Department of Homeland Security is “confident that the suspect in custody is an alien who entered our country from Afghanistan, hell on earth.”
Trump claimed that he had been flown to the United States “by the Biden administration in September 2021” and that his “status was extended under legislation signed by President Biden,” likely referring to “Operation Allies Welcome,” which allowed certain Afghan asylum seekers to remain in the United States for two years.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reiterated this in an
More context: Two National Guardsmen murdered in a shooting near the White House
What do we know about Rahmanullah Lakanwal?
The NBC report added that Lakanwal served in the Afghan army for 10 years alongside US Special Forces soldiers. The alleged gunman had been stationed at a base in Kandahar, Afghanistan’s second-largest city, while serving in the country’s military, the report added, citing a relative of Lakanwal. He expressed disbelief that Lakanwal would carry out such an attack, adding: “We were the ones who were attacked by the Taliban in Afghanistan.” The 29-year-old reportedly grew up in Khost province, bordering Pakistan. The New York Times, quoting a childhood friend of Lakanwal, stated that Lakanwal “suffered from mental health problems and was disturbed by the casualties his unit had caused.” He had been living with his wife and five children in Bellingham, Washington, since moving to the United States.
What do we know about Lakanwal’s asylum status?
Operation Allies Welcome granted temporary two-year status, known as parole, to certain Afghan citizens who assisted the United States during the war in Afghanistan. Once entered into the United States, paroled Afghan citizens could apply for asylum, a special immigrant visa, or be sponsored by a family member with legal permanent residence. Afghan citizens could also request an extension of their parole. CNN reported that while the suspect immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan in 2021, he requested asylum in 2024, which was granted in April 2025 by the Trump administration.
Crucial ideals
Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac, a coalition that advocates for Afghans who served alongside the United States during the war, issued a statement about the shooting Wednesday night, saying: “We reject and condemn anyone who uses, or attempts to use, violence, and we stand with every American who is horrified and saddened by this crime… Afghan immigrants and wartime allies who resettle in the United States are subjected to some of the most exhaustive security checks of any population entering the country… The isolated and violent act of this individual should not be used as an excuse to define or belittle an entire community.”
This article was originally published by Forbes US
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