The Afghan man implicated in the recent shooting of two National Guard members had been experiencing a noticeable mental decline over several years. This information comes from emails reviewed by The Associated Press, which detail prolonged periods of isolation, growing instability, and impromptu cross-country journeys that led up to the incident near the White House.
According to the AP, concerns about 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal had been mounting for months. Interviews and records revealed that he had withdrawn from his job, retreated into long silences, and embarked on sudden road trips before the shooting took place.
One particular email highlighted by the AP expressed grave concerns, stating, “Rahmanullah has not been functional as a person, father, and provider since March of last year.” This message described how he resigned from his job, secluded himself in a darkened room for extended periods, and ceased communication even with his wife and older children.
The emails also revealed that an advocate expressed worry about Lakanwal’s potential for self-harm but noted they never observed any indications that he might turn violent toward others.
Describing his erratic behavior, the emails noted that Lakanwal oscillated between “periods of dark isolation and reckless travel,” with journeys spanning to cities like Chicago and Arizona, ultimately leading to his arrival in Washington, D.C., just prior to the shooting.
The swings reportedly intensified as he abandoned English classes, drifted in and out of short-term jobs and left his children arriving at school unbathed or wearing the same clothes for days.
In one email cited by the AP, the advocate wrote that attempts to correct course often “quickly evolved into ‘manic’ episodes for one or two weeks at a time, where he will take off in the family car, and drive nonstop,” leaving his wife to repeatedly manage the fallout.
Staff from the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants visited Bellingham in March 2024 after receiving the warnings, but the AP reported the effort led to no meaningful contact and left the advocate believing he declined the organization’s help.
Authorities say his deterioration culminated the night before Thanksgiving when he allegedly opened fire near the White House, killing West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically injuring Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24.
The shooting stunned Washington and raised new questions about how concerns stretching back more than a year failed to prompt intervention.
The FBI – led by FBI Director Kash Patel – continues to examine potential motives, and investigators have not confirmed any ideological influence, according to the AP.
Before arriving in the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, Lakanwal served in a Zero Unit of the Afghan Army, a force backed by the CIA.
Advocates working with Afghan evacuees said some former members of those units carried deep trauma from years of conflict, though it remains unclear whether that history played a role in Lakanwal’s behavior in the U.S.
The advocate who sought help for him spoke on condition of anonymity and told the AP they were shocked to learn he was the suspect, recalling moments when he played gently with his young sons despite his mounting problems at home.
They are now cooperating with investigators as authorities review his final months and consider how the warnings fit into the broader failures preceding the shooting.
Lakanwal has been charged with first-degree murder, and Wolfe remains hospitalized as the investigation continues.
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