The man suspected of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members in downtown D.C. last week made his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal appeared in D.C. Superior Court remotely as he remains hospitalized. He was seen via video stream lying in a hospital bed. A blanket covered all but his head.
Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed and gun charges. His attorney argued unsuccessfully for his release.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom died on Thanksgiving at age 20 after the ambush shooting just blocks north of the White House a day earlier. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, is “still fighting for his life,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in an update Monday.
Lakanwal, an Afghan national who was living in Washington state, rounded a corner and immediately opened fire on Beckstrom and Wolfe, officials said. Investigators are working to determine a motive.
Lakanwal spoke softly on Tuesday and his voice sounded strained at times. He spoke in Pashtu via an interpreter.
“I cannot open my eyes,” he said at one point. “I have pain.”
Lakanwal was represented by Terrence Austin, a public defender for D.C. Austin tried to make the claim on behalf of Lakanwal that because Lakanwal was arrested without a warrant six days ago, the delay in presenting him for an initial appearance should be cause to allow him to walk free while he awaits trial.
Judge Renee Raymond quickly shot that down, ordering Lakanwal held without bond.
“The nature and circumstances of the instant offense, the strength of the government’s case, the sheer terror that resulted and that continues to animate because of his actions lead me to conclude that no condition or combinations of conditions would reasonably assure the safety of the community,” she said.
“He waited in broad daylight, that there’s video footage of him waiting in broad daylight while armed, and then upon seeing a contingent of law enforcement officers including the slain and injured National Guard persons, he went in their direction, and he started shooting at them. That goes again to the strength of the government’s case,” Raymond said. “I find the government’s case is exceedingly strong.”
Lakanwal worked in a special CIA-backed Afghan Army unit before emigrating from Afghanistan to the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country, officials said. Lakanwal applied for asylum under the Biden administration, but his asylum was approved under the Trump administration, the group #AfghanEvac said.
Since the shooting, the Trump administration has announced a flurry of policies aimed at making it harder for some foreigners to enter or stay in the country. The administration said it was pausing asylum decisions, reexamining green card applications for people from countries “of concern” and halting visas for Afghans who assisted the U.S. war effort.
Lakanwal is due in court again on Jan. 14.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
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