"White House National Guard Shooter Cooperated with U.S. CIA in Afghanistan"

The Suspect Identified as a 29-Year-Old Afghan National
FBI Launches Terrorism Investigation
U.S. Attorney General: "Will Seek Maximum Penalty, Including Death Sentence"

On the afternoon of the 26th (local time), near the White House in Washington, D.C., a suspect in a shooting incident targeting two National Guard soldiers was found to have previously cooperated with a military force supported by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Afghanistan War.

Kashy Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Photo by AP Yonhap News

U.S. authorities disclosed this information during a joint agency briefing on the 27th.

Janine Pirro, District Attorney of Washington, D.C., announced that the suspect is 29-year-old Ramnullah Rakanwal, an Afghan national. Kashyap Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), explained that Rakanwal had cooperated with the CIA and other U.S. government agencies during the Afghanistan War, and entered the United States in September 2021 after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

At approximately 2:15 p.m. the previous day, Rakanwal ambushed and opened fire on two National Guard soldiers who were on patrol at the intersection of 17th Street and I Street, one block from the White House. The two soldiers, who sustained gunshot wounds, were rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery, but are currently reported to be in critical condition. Rakanwal was also shot and subdued at the scene and is currently being held in the hospital.

According to authorities, Rakanwal currently lives in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children. It was determined that prior to the incident, he drove across the United States from Bellingham in northwestern Washington to Washington, D.C., on the east coast. Director Patel stated that authorities conducted overnight searches at the suspect's residence in Washington and another location in San Diego, California.

District Attorney Pirro strongly condemned the incident, stating, "This was not a simple attack, but a direct challenge to law and order in the capital of our nation."

The FBI has classified the shooting as an act of terrorism and has launched a full-scale terrorism investigation.

Pam Bondi, Attorney General, stated that Rakanwal will be charged with terrorism and that she plans to seek a life sentence. She also warned that if any of the wounded soldiers die, she will seek the death penalty.

The soldiers who were critically injured in the shooting have been identified as Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolf, 24, both members of the West Virginia National Guard. Notably, Beckstrom reportedly volunteered to work during the Thanksgiving holiday.