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Who is Rahmanullah Lakanwal? Afghan man accused of terror act near White House
An Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is identified as the suspect in a shooting near the White House, injuring two National Guard members.
An Afghan national was identified as the suspect of the shooting near the White House on Wednesday, an incident - described as ‘act of terror’ by US President Donald Trump - in which two West Virginia National Guard members were left critically injured.
The West Virginia National Guard members who were deployed to the Washington, US capital, were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House. Track latest updates on Washington shooting here
Motive of the shooting remains unknown.
Who is the Washington shooting suspect?
Jeffrey Carroll, an executive assistant DC police chief, said the assailant - identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal - "came around the corner" and immediately started firing at the troops. Carroll cited video reviewed by investigators.
The 29-year old suspect of the shooting, that took place about two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station, was held when other troops in the area ran over and held him down after he was shot, Associated Press news agency Carroll as saying.
Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal's injuries due to the gun shot were believed to be not life-threatening, the news agency reported, citing a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Officials official cited in the report said the suspect is an Afghan national who entered the US in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a programme of the Joe Biden administration that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the US withdrawal from the country.
The Biden admin programme brought to the US roughly 76,000 people, of whom many worked with US troops and diplomats as interpreters and translators.
Worked with US troops
Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been living in Washington state, but authorities were yet to ascertain his background, two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter was quoted as saying by AP.
A relative of the suspect said Lakanwal has a wife and five boys, according to NBC.
The close relative said the Lakanwal served alongside US Special Forces troops in Afghanistan before he came to the US in September 2021.
The relative said Lakanwal served in the Afghan army for 10 years and was stationed at a base in Kandahar for part of that time.
Speaking at the White House on the Washington shooting, Donald Trump on Wednesday said the suspect flew in via Biden administrations “infamous flights” from Afghanistan, “a hellhole on Earth”.
The Biden programme has since been slammed by Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans and some government watchdogs over lapses in the vetting process and the speed of admissions, while those backing the initiative say it offered a lifeline to people at risk of Taliban reprisals.
