National Guard Shooting Suspect Spent Weeks Isolated in Bedroom, Case Worker's Email Revealed.
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The individual accused of firing upon two military personnel in Washington DC recently had according to accounts spent weeks at a time in solitude in a dark room and experienced "manic episodes," as per notes documented in 2024 by a support worker that helped the suspect's family.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal is accused of perpetrating an "ambush" that killed Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically wounded Andrew Wolf, 24.
Officials stated the man in his late twenties came to the US in 2021 under a initiative for Afghans who had worked with US forces in Afghanistan.
Emerging Information on Mental Health
Based on emails from last year, Mr. Lakanwal faced challenges with his mental health.
In a different message sent on January 31st of last year, the worker noted Mr. Lakanwal "spends the majority of his days for weeks on end in his darkened bedroom, not speaking to anyone, not even his wife and older kids."
The individual, who was not a clinician, also added Mr. Lakanwal had "manic episodes for a week or two at a time where he would drive away in the family car." They also described he had periods in which he would try to "make amends."
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Background and Recent Events
Mr. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, came to the US via the Biden-era resettlement program. This was in the wake after the disorderly US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
He sought asylum in 2024, and his request was granted earlier this year.
He resided with his family in a city in Washington state.
"Aid group volunteers are trying to patch things for that family - but I think the father has mental health issues that are untreated, and he refuses to speak with anybody," one part of an previous communication reads.
Last week, a longtime acquaintance informed a newspaper that Mr. Lakanwal had dealt with mental health issues after his work with his team in Afghanistan.
Mr. Lakanwal had allegedly been a member of a "special unit" - an local intelligence and militia that worked with a American spy agency.
Official Response and Legal Proceedings
In the days after the attack in Washington DC, the President pledged to "permanently pause migration" from certain countries.
The administration has halted all asylum decisions "to guarantee that every individual is thoroughly investigated to the maximum degree possible," a director stated.
Mr. Lakanwal, who was injured in the event and is still hospitalized, faces homicide accusations.
