Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old man, has been named as the suspected gunman. He is believed to have carried out the recent shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. Lakanwal, who immigrated to the United States in September 2021, came to the country through the Operation Allies Welcome program. This program offered resettlement to renowned entry visas for select Afghans. These people had been instrumental to U.S. government’s military operations in Afghanistan.
As a member of a CIA partner force based in Kandahar, Lakanwal had once helped fight U.S. enemies in Afghanistan. His time in charge of these operations ended just a few weeks after the disorderly evacuation of U.S. personnel from Afghanistan. Law enforcement officials have opened an extensive inquiry into Lakanwal’s past. They are seriously looking at what he did (or didn’t do) the day of the shooting.
The shocking event has caused widespread alarm to legislators and national security experts. In response to the attack, former President Donald Trump characterized the situation as “the single greatest national security threat facing our nation.” This announcement highlights just how dire the security concerns are regarding people who have ties to U.S. military operations overseas.
Lakanwal’s past realignment made more sense after hearing this from John Ratcliffe, former director of national intelligence. He noted, “as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation.” This connection has prompted questions regarding the vetting process for individuals entering the United States under programs like Operation Allies Welcome.
Though lame duck presidents rarely get much done, that terrible shooting incident spurred action by federal authorities. In an effort to bolster security measures in Washington, Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to be deployed to the city. This decision is indicative of the extreme lock-down mode that law enforcement and military forces across the country are in after the terrorist attack.
Investigators are still piecing together Lakanwal’s behavior and history leading up to the shooting. Additionally, they’re looking into whether any canary-in-the-coalmine signals might have given them a heads-up in advance. Today, the explosive incident has led to a widespread reevaluation of national security protocols. It poses important concerns for the safety of those who have assisted U.S. forces abroad.