• Prosecutors upgrade charges after National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom dies
• Afghan national drove cross-country before ambushing soldiers near White House
• Trump administration suspends Afghan immigration and orders green card review

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — The suspect accused of shooting two National Guard members blocks from the White House now faces first-degree murder charges after one victim died from her wounds, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Friday. The upgraded charges come as the Trump administration launches sweeping immigration restrictions in response to the attack.

DC Shooting Suspect Charged With Murder

Pirro confirmed the charge upgrade during a Friday morning television interview. The prosecutor said investigators across multiple agencies have worked around the clock since Wednesday’s attack, and additional charges remain likely.

“There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree.”

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The suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, initially faced three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and criminal possession of a weapon. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the administration will do “everything in our power” to seek the death penalty. At minimum, she said, Lakanwal could face life in prison with terrorism charges.

Guard Member Dies on Thanksgiving

Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died Thursday from injuries sustained in the ambush-style attack. President Donald Trump announced her death during a Thanksgiving call with service members, calling her a “highly respected, young, magnificent person.”

Beckstrom joined the West Virginia National Guard in June 2023 after graduating from Webster County High School. She volunteered for the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission, which deployed Guard troops to patrol the capital as part of Trump’s crime crackdown.

Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition. Trump said Wolfe is “fighting for his life” after undergoing surgery.

Suspect Worked With CIA in Afghanistan

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Federal officials revealed Lakanwal previously served in a CIA-backed counterterrorism unit in Afghanistan. CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed the suspect worked with U.S. forces before entering America in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome.

Pirro said Lakanwal drove across the country from his home in Bellingham, Washington, to target the Guard members. He allegedly approached the soldiers near the Farragut West Metro station around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, opened fire with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver, then took a victim’s weapon to continue shooting.

Investigators found “numerous electronic devices” during a search of his residence. A running theory suggests Lakanwal suffered from paranoia and believed authorities sought to deport him.

Trump Orders Immigration Crackdown

The attack triggered an aggressive response from the Trump administration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services immediately suspended all immigration applications from Afghan nationals and ordered a “full-scale reexamination” of green cards from 19 countries of concern.

The affected nations include Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Venezuela, and Yemen. Trump announced he would “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World countries” and threatened to reverse millions of admissions granted under his predecessor.

Refugee advocacy groups pushed back, noting Lakanwal underwent extensive vetting and received asylum approval in April 2025 under the current administration. The AfghanEvac nonprofit said evacuees face some of the most rigorous security screening of any migrants.

Will the tragedy reshape America’s refugee policies toward allies who served alongside U.S. forces?

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