Washington D.C. - Emails reveal that Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in the recent National Guard shooting near the White House, experienced periods of intense isolation and erratic behavior in the months leading up to the incident. The correspondence details “manic” episodes where Lakanwal would embark on cross-country drives,raising concerns among case workers about his mental state and adjustment to life in the United States.
Lakanwal, an Afghan commando who resettled in Bellingham, Washington, was deeply affected by the 2024 death of a close friend and fellow Afghan commander who had been denied asylum in the US, according to an Afghan commando who spoke with the Associated press. While he intermittently re-engaged with Washington state’s social and health services as required by his entry terms, these periods were often followed by weeks-long absences and impulsive trips, including drives to Chicago and arizona.
The emails, obtained by the AP, describe Lakanwal’s behavior as fluctuating between attempts to “do the right things” and extended periods of withdrawal. One email detailed episodes where he would ”take off in the family car, and drive nonstop” for weeks at a time.
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) visited Bellingham in March 2024 to attempt contact with Lakanwal and his family following the concerns raised in the emails.
District of Columbia Attorney General Jeanine Pirro stated that Lakanwal traveled across the country from Bellingham, approximately 80 miles north of Seattle, to the nation’s capital before the shooting. A case worker told CBS News, “Rahmanullah was a man who was extremely proud and capable in the world he came from, who felt defeated in the world he came to.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday that Lakanwal appeared to have been “radicalized since he’s been here in this country,” attributing the change to “connections in his home community and state.” Noem provided no further details regarding the alleged radicalization.
