National Guard member Dies Following Shooting in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – One of two National Guard members shot Wednesday in Washington, D.C., has died, officials confirmed Thursday. The second member remains in critical condition. The shooting occurred near the 1st Street and Constitution Avenue NW intersection, prompting a large law enforcement response and a temporary lockdown of the area.
The deceased has been identified as specialist Third Class Chad Michael Dean, 22, of Alabama. The injured service member’s name is being withheld pending notification of family.Authorities have identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal as the suspect and taken him into custody. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, was admitted to the United States in september 2021 following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He had previously applied for asylum with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in 2024, and his submission was granted in 2025, but his request for a green card remains pending, making him technically an asylee and not in the U.S. illegally.
the incident has prompted a swift response from the Trump administration, which has paused the processing of all immigration applications for Afghan nationals indefinitely, pending a review of security and vetting protocols. “Effective promptly, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” a USCIS statement reads.President Trump stated wednesday night, “We must now reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.”
The shooting is under examination by the Metropolitan Police Department and federal authorities. The National Guard was deployed to Washington, D.C., to support local law enforcement and provide security in the wake of recent events. This incident raises questions about the vetting process for individuals entering the U.S., particularly those from Afghanistan, and is likely to fuel ongoing debate about immigration policy and national security.
