Afghan National Charged in Fatal Shooting of National Guard Soldiers

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, has been charged with the shooting of two National Guard soldiers on November 26. The incident led to the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and left 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe in serious condition, as confirmed by West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey.

A volunteer who worked closely with Lakanwal's family described him as initially hopeful upon arriving in the U.S. in 2022. However, by 2023, he became increasingly isolated, spending most of his time in a darkened bedroom and not communicating with his family. The volunteer expressed concern that Lakanwal might harm himself due to his withdrawal.

Before relocating to the U.S. in 2021, Lakanwal served in Afghanistan's elite counterterrorism units, operated by the CIA to combat the Taliban. CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated that Lakanwal was admitted into the U.S. because of his prior work with the U.S. government, including the CIA.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem indicated that officials believe Lakanwal was radicalized while living in the U.S., possibly through connections in his home community. However, the volunteer who knew Lakanwal saw no signs of radicalization, instead noting his deepening personal crisis, compounded by poor English skills and cultural isolation.

Efforts to secure professional assistance for Lakanwal's mental health were reportedly met with limited response. Following the incident, the Trump administration has frozen refugee cases involving Afghan nationals and initiated a review of refugees and migrants from over a dozen countries residing legally in the U.S. Activists emphasize that this appears to be an isolated case, noting that the vast majority of Afghan refugees are upstanding citizens.