Washington shooting of National Guard troops raises questions about refugee vetting
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Nov 30, 2025, 18:53 IST
After the fatal shooting of two members of the U.S. National Guard reportedly by an Afghan national near the White House, questions about the federal vetting of Afghans resettled in the U.S. have come up again.
TL;DR
A tragic shooting of two fatal shots to two members of the U.S. National Guard occurred in the vicinity of the White House. The person accused of the crime is a man from Afghanistan who was resettled via Operation Allies Welcome. The police are checking his background, and members of parliament are discussing the refugee screening process again.
In an incident described by authorities as an unusual and targeted attack, two U.S. National Guard members were shot dead near the White House on Wednesday. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29 year old Afghan national, is said to have come to the United States in 2021 via Operation Allies Welcome a program developed by the U.S. federal government to evacuate and resettle the Afghans after the American military withdrawal.
The Metropolitan Police Department said that the police arrived at the scene of the shooting near the area where National Guard units acting the capital ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday were expected to be deployed. The police stated that the video depicts the gunman approaching the area and firing at a person who in no way had provoked him. The suspect was shot when he confronted the police, but it has been announced that the injuries he got from the bullet were not of a serious nature.
An official from the law enforcement who is aware of the investigation but unsure of the exact details, told The Associated Press that the suspect’s identity was confirmed but a thorough background check is still going on. Another source in the administration, who spoke about the matter, also mentioned that they have no permission to share further details and that is why they prefer not to be identified.
The shooting, in which some members of the National Guard lost their lives, was a dead-on event that took place shortly after 6 p.m., the local police department stated in a press release. These individuals were assigned to support other city agencies during the expected rush of holiday travelers. Fatal attacks on Guard members deployed in Washington have been extremely rare and this incident has thus, been bringing back the safety issues around federal landmarks into public discussions.
As per the official records, the Operation Allies Welcome was the initiative that made it possible for about 76,000 people from Afghanistan to come to the U.S. in the years 2021 and 2022. Out of these, the majority were those who had accompanied the U.S. army or the diplomatic missions as interpreters, contractors, or members of the civil society. The project under the management of the Department of Homeland Security has been a hot topic in politics for more than a year now. A 2023 report by the DHS Inspector General points to concerns about record matching and processing delays but finds no significant security breaches.
Upon a video message released Wednesday night, President Donald Trump urged the authorities to look into again all the refugees from Afghanistan who were admitted through the program. He suggested that people who came during Biden's administration should be subjected to new security checks and he also added that the shooting was an example of what he characterized as a national problem.
Once landlord Kristina Widman shared that Lakanwal was living in Bellingham, Washington with his wife and five children. Widman, who is now divorcing, described the family as extremely peaceful and said that she had no knowledge of any disputes in the past.
Assistant to the Police Chief Jeffery Carroll explained to the media that the motive for the shooting has not been figured out by the London police force. Pointing to the video that the police have been looking at, he said that the shooter "came around the corner" and fired immediately. Until now, no police officers are in search of another suspect.
Authorities from local and the FBI are still investigating the case. Besides that, they promise to reveal the facts only when they think it is suitable.
FAQs
A tragic shooting of two fatal shots to two members of the U.S. National Guard occurred in the vicinity of the White House. The person accused of the crime is a man from Afghanistan who was resettled via Operation Allies Welcome. The police are checking his background, and members of parliament are discussing the refugee screening process again.
In an incident described by authorities as an unusual and targeted attack, two U.S. National Guard members were shot dead near the White House on Wednesday. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29 year old Afghan national, is said to have come to the United States in 2021 via Operation Allies Welcome a program developed by the U.S. federal government to evacuate and resettle the Afghans after the American military withdrawal.
The Metropolitan Police Department said that the police arrived at the scene of the shooting near the area where National Guard units acting the capital ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday were expected to be deployed. The police stated that the video depicts the gunman approaching the area and firing at a person who in no way had provoked him. The suspect was shot when he confronted the police, but it has been announced that the injuries he got from the bullet were not of a serious nature.
An official from the law enforcement who is aware of the investigation but unsure of the exact details, told The Associated Press that the suspect’s identity was confirmed but a thorough background check is still going on. Another source in the administration, who spoke about the matter, also mentioned that they have no permission to share further details and that is why they prefer not to be identified.
The shooting, in which some members of the National Guard lost their lives, was a dead-on event that took place shortly after 6 p.m., the local police department stated in a press release. These individuals were assigned to support other city agencies during the expected rush of holiday travelers. Fatal attacks on Guard members deployed in Washington have been extremely rare and this incident has thus, been bringing back the safety issues around federal landmarks into public discussions.
As per the official records, the Operation Allies Welcome was the initiative that made it possible for about 76,000 people from Afghanistan to come to the U.S. in the years 2021 and 2022. Out of these, the majority were those who had accompanied the U.S. army or the diplomatic missions as interpreters, contractors, or members of the civil society. The project under the management of the Department of Homeland Security has been a hot topic in politics for more than a year now. A 2023 report by the DHS Inspector General points to concerns about record matching and processing delays but finds no significant security breaches.
Upon a video message released Wednesday night, President Donald Trump urged the authorities to look into again all the refugees from Afghanistan who were admitted through the program. He suggested that people who came during Biden's administration should be subjected to new security checks and he also added that the shooting was an example of what he characterized as a national problem.
Once landlord Kristina Widman shared that Lakanwal was living in Bellingham, Washington with his wife and five children. Widman, who is now divorcing, described the family as extremely peaceful and said that she had no knowledge of any disputes in the past.
Assistant to the Police Chief Jeffery Carroll explained to the media that the motive for the shooting has not been figured out by the London police force. Pointing to the video that the police have been looking at, he said that the shooter "came around the corner" and fired immediately. Until now, no police officers are in search of another suspect.
Authorities from local and the FBI are still investigating the case. Besides that, they promise to reveal the facts only when they think it is suitable.
FAQs
- What measures have the federal officials undertaken in response?
President Donald Trump urged a fresh security check of the Afghan refugees when they were accepted under the program.