Newly revealed documents paint a troubling picture of the mental state of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of ambushing and killing National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and seriously wounding Andrew Wolf, 24, in Washington DC last week. Emails from a case worker in early 2024, obtained by CBS News, describe a man suffering from severe psychological episodes, spending weeks at a time isolated in a darkened room and experiencing manic periods where he would disappear with the family car.
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program evacuating Afghans who had cooperated with American forces. A former member of an Afghan ‘Zero Unit’ that worked directly with the CIA, he was among those fearing Taliban retribution after the U.S. withdrawal. His asylum application was granted earlier this year.
The case worker emails, sent to the non-profit US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, expressed grave concerns about the family’s stability. The worker noted Lakanwal had been unemployed for a year, putting his wife and five children at risk of eviction from their home in Bellingham, Washington. ‘I think the father has mental health issues that are not addressed,’ one January 2024 email stated, adding that he refused to speak to anyone.
The attack has triggered significant political repercussions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Lakanwal had been ‘radicalized’ after arriving in the U.S. through connections in his home community. In response, the Trump administration has announced a permanent pause on migration from ‘third world countries’ and halted all asylum decisions indefinitely to implement stricter vetting protocols. Lakanwal, who was shot during the incident and remains hospitalized, now faces murder charges.