The Afghan national accused of killing one National Guard member and gravely wounding another in Washington, DC, has been hospitalized in “dire circumstances” after refusing food and water, according to a report.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was admitted to George Washington University Hospital this week after his health rapidly deteriorated behind bars, US District Judge Amit Mehta said at an emergency hearing on Thursday, The Washington Post reported.
Lakanwal has been in pretrial detention for allegedly killing West Virginia Army National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and critically injuring US Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe in an ambush-style shooting on Nov. 26, 2025.
“As I understand it, Mr. Lakanwal’s health has deteriorated quite substantially, and he is in dire circumstances,” Mehta told the courtroom, per the outlet.
The judge added that his condition is “in some sense self-inflicted” because he had been “refusing food and, in some cases, water.”
Assistant US Attorney Jocelyn Ballantine told the courtroom that the US Marshals Service informed prosecutors two weeks ago about a “significant problem” with Lakanwal.
Ballantine said the US attorney’s office needed access to Lakanwal’s medical records to make requests or recommendations to the court to address his ailments, but a judge would have to grant permission first.
Lakanwal’s public defender, Michelle Peterson, argued that the government could use his medical records to formulate potential defenses at trial — but ultimately agreed with a request to hand over limited medical records from this week, the outlet said.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Lakanwal, who was indicted on 17 counts, including first-degree armed premeditated murder of a National Guard member, attempted murder of three others, and assault with intent to kill.
He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Lakanwal, armed with a stolen Smith & Wesson revolver, ambushed Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, near the Farragut West Metro Station close to the White House, shooting them both in the head, prosecutors claimed.
The former Afghan special forces soldier, who came to the US as a refugee, allegedly drove cross-country from his home state of Washington to DC to carry out the attack.
Beckstrom died the next day on Thanksgiving. Though Wolfe was critically wounded, he has since made “miraculous” progress in his recovery.
Lakanwal sustained injuries after he was shot by a National Guard supervisor during the attack and previously attended court hearings in a wheelchair.
Read the full article here
