A deadly ambush near the White House has resulted in the death of National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and left her fellow Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, in critical condition. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, has ignited a fierce political debate over immigration vetting procedures and triggered a comprehensive review of U.S. asylum policies.
The alleged perpetrator, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was shot and wounded during an exchange of gunfire with other troops. FBI investigators have launched a terrorism probe, seizing multiple electronic devices from the suspect’s Washington state residence. Lakanwal, according to intelligence officials, previously served in a CIA-backed paramilitary unit in Afghanistan before entering the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome—a Biden-era resettlement program for Afghans who assisted U.S. forces.
President Donald Trump characterized the shooting as a ‘heinous act of terrorism’ and immediately ordered a sweeping review of asylum cases approved during the previous administration. During a Thanksgiving call with military members, Trump blamed what he called inadequate vetting procedures under President Biden for allowing the suspect into the country, though he provided no evidence to support this claim.
Contradicting the political narrative, official documents reviewed by Reuters indicate that Lakanwal was actually granted asylum in April of this year—three months after Trump took office. The suspect had no known criminal history and legally resided in Washington state with his wife and five children.
The tragedy has exposed tensions in U.S. immigration policy, particularly regarding the processing of Afghan allies following the chaotic 2021 withdrawal. While the resettlement program included vetting procedures by counter-terrorism agencies, the scale and rapid pace of evacuations led critics to question the effectiveness of background checks.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced plans to pursue terrorism charges against the gunman, potentially seeking the death penalty following Beckstrom’s death. Meanwhile, the Beckstrom family mourns their loss, with father Gary Beckstrom describing the incident as a ‘horrible tragedy’ in a social media post.
The shooting has intensified the ongoing debate about border security and immigration vetting, with the Trump administration now reviewing all asylum cases approved under the previous administration as well as Green Cards issued to citizens of 19 countries.