The Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House had exhibited signs of mental decline for several years, according to emails reviewed by The Associated Press. These communications revealed a pattern of prolonged isolation, increasing instability, and spontaneous cross-country trips leading up to the incident.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, had become a cause for concern for many months. Interviews and records indicate that he had withdrawn from work, lapsed into long periods of silence, and embarked on sudden road trips prior to the shooting.

One email highlighted by the AP expressed alarm, stating, “Rahmanullah has not been functional as a person, father, and provider since March of last year.” It detailed his abrupt resignation from his job, seclusion in a “darkened room” for extended periods, and lack of communication even with his family.

While an advocate expressed fears that Lakanwal might harm himself, there were no indications suggesting he posed a threat to others.

An undated file photo of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, suspected in the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., on November 26, 2025, was provided by the Department of Justice.

The emails also described how he alternated between “periods of dark isolation and reckless travel,” including trips to Chicago, Arizona and eventually Washington, D.C., shortly before 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.

President Trump announced that National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of West Virginia, died after she and another guardsman were shot in Washington, D.C., on the day before Thanksgiving. (District of Columbia National Guard via X)

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.

Andrew Wolfe, 24, inset, is “hanging on” after being shot Wednesday in Washington, D.C., Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., said on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (Anthony Peltier/AP; U.S. Attorney’s Office via AP)

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.