An Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House had been experiencing significant personal struggles for years. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, faced challenges in maintaining employment and often oscillated between long periods of isolation and impulsive, lengthy road trips across the country.

Lakanwal's behavior raised alarms among community advocates, prompting one to contact a refugee organization out of concern for his mental health. Emails obtained reveal a troubling pattern of erratic conduct leading up to the shooting, which occurred on the eve of Thanksgiving.

The community member, who requested anonymity while cooperating with the FBI, expressed shock upon learning Lakanwal was the suspect. They recalled seeing him play with his young sons and could not reconcile that image with the violence of the attack.

In the shooting, West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured. Investigators are currently working to determine a motive for the attack. Lakanwal has been charged with first-degree murder.

Before moving to the United States, Lakanwal served in a special Afghan Army unit known as a Zero Unit, which was supported by the CIA. He arrived in the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program designed to assist Afghans who worked with U.S. forces during the war. Lakanwal settled in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and their five sons, all under 12 years old.

According to the community member, Lakanwal struggled to adapt to his new life. In a January 2024 email, they wrote, "Rahmanullah has not been functional as a person, father, and provider since March of last year. He quit his job that month, and his behavior has changed greatly."

The emails described Lakanwal as someone who could not maintain a steady job or commit to English classes. He often spent weeks in isolation, not communicating with his family. At one point, his family faced eviction due to unpaid rent.

The community member expressed concern that Lakanwal's depression might lead him to harm himself, but they did not foresee him becoming violent toward others. Family members sometimes had to send his young sons into his room to communicate with him, as he would not respond to anyone else.

When his wife traveled to visit relatives, the children often went without proper care, raising concerns at their school. However, there were periods when Lakanwal attempted to improve his situation, re-engaging with social services as required by his immigration status.

Despite these efforts, his behavior would sometimes shift into manic episodes, during which he would take off on long drives. He traveled to cities like Chicago and Arizona during these episodes.

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, noted that Lakanwal drove from Bellingham to Washington, D.C., prior to the shooting. Following the community member's emails, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants visited Bellingham in March 2024 to reach out to Lakanwal and his family. However, the community member felt that Lakanwal declined their assistance, as they did not receive any updates from the organization.