Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that she will seek the death penalty against the Afghan national accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C., calling the alleged gunman a “monster who should not have been in our country.” Bondi delivered the remarks during an interview on Fox News, urging Americans to pray for the critically wounded soldiers and making clear that the Trump administration will pursue the harshest legal consequences available.
“Just pray, everyone pray today for these two soldiers, these two Guardsman and woman,” Bondi said. “But if something happens, I will tell you right now — we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country.”
The suspect, Rahmanaullah Lakanwal, 29, has been charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and one count of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. Under current charges, he faces up to 15 years in prison. But U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said the charges would immediately be upgraded to murder if either Guardsman succumbs to injuries sustained in the attack.
Pirro detailed the events during a Thanksgiving Day press conference, revealing that Lakanwal — a resident of Washington state — drove across the country before allegedly carrying out what authorities are describing as a targeted attack. At approximately 2:15 p.m., he allegedly opened fire on Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, near the Farragut Square Metro Station in the vicinity of 17th and I Streets NW, just blocks from the White House.
A National Guard member returned fire, wounding Lakanwal, who was then taken into custody. All three — both Guardsmen and the suspect — were transported to hospitals in critical condition, with Beckstrom and Wolfe undergoing surgery Thursday morning.
President Donald Trump condemned the shooting as “an act of terror,” signaling that the administration views the incident not as random violence but as a national security threat. FBI Director Kash Patel stated during the briefing that the shooting is being treated as “an ongoing investigation of terrorism, make no mistake about it.”
The Central Intelligence Agency also issued a revealing statement following the attack. The agency confirmed that Lakanwal had previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan prior to the U.S. withdrawal in 2021 — the same year the Biden administration allowed him to enter the United States under Operation Allies Welcome, its expedited Afghan refugee program.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe acknowledged Lakanwal’s past service but criticized the Biden administration for admitting him. “He should have never been allowed to come here,” Ratcliffe said, adding that the administration justified bringing him to the United States due to his prior affiliation with U.S. forces in Kandahar, even as the withdrawal collapsed in chaos.
“In the wake of the disastrous Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021,” Ratcliffe said in a statement obtained by NewsNation. He noted that Lakanwal’s work with American forces ended shortly after the evacuation, making the decision to admit him even more questionable.
Following the attack, President Trump ordered a full review of the cases of Afghan nationals brought into the United States in 2021. Shortly thereafter, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced an immediate and indefinite suspension of all immigration processing for Afghan nationals, pending a thorough reassessment of security and vetting procedures.
The shooting, combined with Lakanwal’s immigration history, has intensified scrutiny of Biden-era refugee admissions and reinforced the Trump administration’s renewed focus on national security, border enforcement, and strict immigration controls.
[READ MORE: Trump Fires Back at “Failing” New York Times for Hit Piece Questioning His Energy and Stamina]
