A report from the Department of Justice's inspector general had already warned about failures in the review process, noting that up to 55 evacuees were initially included on anti-terror watchlists, although most were later cleared by the FBI.
This Wednesday afternoon, the suspect identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal seriously injured two members of the National Guard
A report from the Department of Justice's inspector general had already warned about failures in the review process, noting that up to 55 evacuees were initially included on anti-terror watchlists, although most were later cleared by the FBI.
Following the attack, President Donald Trump, who was in Florida, ordered the deployment of 500 additional National Guard troops to the capital. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed the request and assured that the deployment aims to strengthen security in the city.
"We will never back down. We will secure our capital and our cities," Hegseth declared. According to Pentagon data, before this order there were about 2,100 soldiers assigned to D.C., including local troops and those from other states.
The investigation into the attack continues, while authorities are trying to determine whether Lakanwal acted for ideological or personal reasons. The episode has caused concern both for security in Washington and for the management of the Afghan evacuation program and the screening procedures applied to those who entered the country after the fall of Kabul.
The man who opened fire on two members of the National Guard near the White House this Wednesday was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan citizen who entered the United States during the military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, according to police sources. Federal authorities indicated that the FBI is analyzing the attack as an act of terrorism, although an official motive has not yet been determined.
The shooting occurred around 2:15 PM, near the Farragut West station, a busy area in northwest Washington, D.C. According to preliminary reports, Lakanwal waited for the right moment to attack before opening fire on a National Guard member, whom he first shot in the chest and then in the head. The assailant also fired at a second Guard member until a third soldier intervened and managed to subdue him.
The two wounded guards were transported to nearby hospitals in critical condition. The suspect, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds during the confrontation, was taken by ambulance and, according to police sources, acted alone. Both the Washington Metropolitan Police and city officials confirmed that the assault was a targeted attack against the uniformed personnel.
Lakanwal arrived in the country under the operation ''Allies Welcome'', the entry and resettlement program implemented during Biden's administration after the catastrophic evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021.
His involvement in the attack has reignited questions about the screening and verification mechanisms applied to some of the approximately 90,000 Afghans who entered under that initiative.