by Natalia Mittelstadt
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to murder and assault charges in the shooting of two National Guardsmen last week.
Lakanwal appeared virtually for the court hearing from his hospital bed, as he had been shot by another National Guardsman after he fired at two West Virginia National Guardsmen near the White House on Wednesday, ABC News reported.
One of the National Guardsmen who was shot, Sarah Beckstrom, died from her injuries a day later, while the other victim, Andrew Wolfe, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Lakanwal was charged with one count of murder, two counts of assault with the intent to kill, and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and pleaded not guilty to all of them.
D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond ordered that Lakanwal be held without bond before trial, CNN reported. His next court appearance is Jan. 14.
Lakanwal came to America after Afghanistan fell in 2021 as part of the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome. CBS News reported Lakanwal receieved humanitarian parole when he entered America. The Trump administration approved his asylum request this year.
While in Afghanistan, NBC News reported Lakanwal worked with the CIA to help fight the Taliban.
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Natalia Mittelstadt is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
