Military Shooting Accused Was Isolated for Weeks Alone in Room, Social Worker's Email Indicated.

Image Source

The individual alleged to have carried out firing upon two National Guard members in the nation's capital recently had according to accounts spent weeks at a time alone in a dimly lit room and experienced "periods of mania," according to notes documented in 2024 by a support worker who assisted the individual's family.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal is accused of carrying out an "ambush" that took the life of Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and seriously injured Andrew Wolf, 24.

Officials stated the 29-year-old came to the US in 2021 as part of a initiative for Afghans who had worked with American troops in Afghanistan.

Emerging Information on Mental Health

Based on emails from last year, Mr. Lakanwal struggled with his mental health.

In a different message dated on January 31st of last year, the worker noted Mr. Lakanwal "passes the majority of his days for weeks on end in his blacked-out room, refusing to talk to a soul, including his wife and older kids."

The case worker, who was not a mental health professional, also said Mr. Lakanwal had "manic episodes for a week or two at a time where he would drive away in the family car." They also mentioned he had periods in which he would try to "make amends."

Image Source

History and Current Developments

Mr. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, entered the US via the recent Operation Allies Welcome. This was during the period after the disorderly US military exit from Afghanistan.

He applied for asylum in 2024, and his request was approved recently.

He lived with his wife and five children in Bellingham, Washington.

"Aid group workers are attempting to assist for that family - but I think the father has mental health issues that are not addressed, and he won't talk to anyone," one part of an earlier communication reads.

Last week, a longtime acquaintance informed a newspaper that Mr. Lakanwal had experienced mental health issues after his work with his team in Afghanistan.

Mr. Lakanwal had allegedly been a member of a "special unit" - an Afghan intelligence and paramilitary force that worked with a US intelligence agency.

Official Reaction and Legal Proceedings

In the days after the shooting in the capital, the President vowed to "halt migration" from certain countries.

The government has paused all asylum decisions "until we can ensure that every individual is vetted and screened to the fullest extent," a senior official stated.

Mr. Lakanwal, who was shot in the event and is still hospitalized, is facing homicide accusations.