Washington D.C. Attacker Rahmanullah Lakanwal Struggled with ‘Dark Isolation’ Before Attack

Washington D.C. – The Afghan man accused of fatally shooting one National Guard member and seriously wounding another near the White House last week had been struggling severely with isolation and mental health issues for years, according to newly revealed emails and community warnings, reported by The Associated Press (AP).

The suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an asylum seeker who entered the US in 2021, was reportedly unravelling long before the attack.

Lakanwal has been charged with first-degree murder following the attack on Wednesday afternoon that critically wounded West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24. Specialist Beckstrom tragically died from her injuries the following day.

Mounting Warnings of Deterioration

Emails obtained by AP detail mounting concerns raised by a community advocate who works with Afghan refugee families in Washington state, where Lakanwal was resettled with his wife and five young sons.

The emails, sent to a refugee support organization, described a sharp deterioration in Lakanwal’s behaviour starting in early 2023. A January 2024 email stated:

“Rahmanullah has not been functional as a person, father, and provider since March of last year, 03/2023. He quit his job that month, and his behaviour has changed greatly.”

The advocate became worried that Lakanwal was deeply depressed and potentially suicidal, though they did not anticipate violence against others. His struggle to assimilate was visible as he failed to hold a steady job or commit to English courses.

Isolation and ‘Manic’ Drives

Lakanwal’s behaviour reportedly alternated between extremes. At times, he spent long periods in his “darkened room, not speaking to anyone, not even his wife or older kids.” His family faced eviction due to unpaid rent, and the welfare of his young children became a concern for their school.

The isolation was combined with what were described as “manic episodes,” during which he would take off in the family car for weeks at a time, driving cross-country to places like Chicago and Arizona.

Authorities confirmed that Lakanwal executed a similar cross-country journey from Bellingham, Washington, to the nation’s capital to carry out the attack.

A Past in an Afghan Army Unit

Lakanwal entered the US through Operation Allies Welcome in 2021, a program for Afghans who worked alongside US forces and diplomats following the American withdrawal. He had previously worked in Afghanistan in a “Zero Unit,” a specialized Afghan Army unit backed by the CIA.

The US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), which received the community alerts, attempted to contact Lakanwal and his family in March 2024 but was reportedly unable to assist as he refused their help.

Investigators are still working to establish a definitive motive for the attack, but the newly surfaced warnings provide a clearer picture of an individual struggling with profound depression and the trauma of displacement long before the violence occurred.

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