The Afghan national accused of launching a brazen, ambush-style attack on two National Guard members this week was a former member of a CIA-backed military unit during the U.S. war in Afghanistan, the Central Intelligence Agency confirmed Thursday.
The revelation adds a volatile and complex international dimension to the shooting that left two young Guardsmen in critical condition, transforming the tragic event near the White House into a national security flashpoint that is already fueling intense political debate over U.S. immigration and vetting procedures.
The Suspect and His Past Ties
The suspected gunman, identified by federal authorities as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was taken into custody after the attack on Wednesday afternoon in downtown Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed the suspect drove nearly 2,700 miles from his home in Bellingham, Washington, with the premeditated plan to conduct a “brazen and targeted” assault in the nation’s capital.
- CIA Confirmation: CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed to media outlets that Lakanwal “previously worked with the U.S. government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar” that operated during the war.
- Elite Unit: Sources familiar with the situation told The Washington Post that Lakanwal served in one of the so-called “Zero Units”—Afghan paramilitary groups that were trained, supplied, and operated by the CIA alongside U.S. Special Forces in high-intensity counterterrorism missions.
- U.S. Entry: Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 under the Operation Allies Welcome program, a humanitarian effort to evacuate and resettle tens of thousands of Afghans who had worked with the U.S. government following the Taliban takeover. He was granted asylum in April 2025.
Political Fallout and Terrorism Probe
The shooting has instantly intensified the country’s acrimonious immigration debate, with the White House and former officials trading sharp accusations over vetting failures.
- Security Lapse Debate: CIA Director Ratcliffe stated that the prior administration was responsible for bringing the alleged shooter to the U.S. “due to his prior work,” but blamed the subsequent administration for a “failure to vet” the individual. This claim, however, is complicated by the fact that Lakanwal was granted asylum in 2025 during the current administration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has since announced it has paused all immigration processing for Afghan nationals pending a security review.
- Terrorism Investigation: FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the agency is officially investigating the shooting as an “act of terrorism.” The investigation is now a “coast-to-coast” effort, with agents executing search warrants at the suspect’s home in Washington state and other locations.
The two wounded National Guard members, identified as Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, both of the West Virginia National Guard, remain in critical condition following surgery. Their unit had been deployed to D.C. as part of the administration’s crackdown on crime.
The attack, carried out by a former ally on U.S. soil against military personnel, represents a devastating and tragic culmination of the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.