The Afghan national implicated in the fatal shooting of a National Guard member and a subsequent attack near the White House last year has been moved from his prison cell to a medical facility. This transfer followed his decision to abstain from food and water, according to court documentation.
Federal prosecutors informed the court that Rahmanullah Lakanwal was admitted to the hospital close to midnight on Wednesday to “preserve his life.” This action was preceded by warnings from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in June, indicating that Lakanwal’s prolonged refusal to intake sufficient nutrition posed serious health risks.
Court documents reveal that USMS officials expressed concern over Lakanwal’s self-imposed risk of severe health issues, potentially even death, due to his refusal to eat or drink.
During an emergency court session late Thursday morning, D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta described Lakanwal’s health situation as “dire” and “self-inflicted,” per a transcript obtained by The New York Times.
National Guard members are seen standing behind yellow tape following the shooting of two of their own near the White House in Washington, D.C., on November 26, 2025. (Reuters; Provided by Department of Justice)
Lakanwal, 30, is accused of killing West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and severely wounding Guardsman Andrew Wolfe in last November’s attack. He faces 17 charges, the most serious of which — the first-degree murder charge — makes him eligible for the death penalty.
In the most recent court filing, prosecutors told Mehta that on June 16, 2026 — the day Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to all the charges — they learned about a protective order that “prohibited the government from receiving medical records concerning Lakanwal’s treatment.”
The judge ruled that prosecutors had a right to have access to Lakanwal’s medical records and his treatment providers for “the duration of his current hospitalization.”
File photo of National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, who later died from injuries sustained in a shooting in Washington D.C., on the evening of Nov. 26, 2025. (Provided by Department of Justice)
Last month, Lakanwal made his first appearance in court, months after the Washington, D.C., shooting. He was wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and was in a wheelchair.
On November 26, Lakanwal allegedly drove his Toyota Prius from his home in Bellingham, Washington, to the District of Columbia while in possession of a stolen firearm, according to court records.
Prosecutors said he opened fire on West Virginia National Guard members, striking Beckstrom and Wolfe in the head. Two nearby National Guard members then subdued Lakanwal at the scene, officials said.
West Virginia National Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe is presented with the Purple Heart by Major General James Seward as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Investigators reportedly recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle in 2023.
Officials said Beckstrom died from her injuries on Thanksgiving, while Wolfe continues to recover from his injuries.
Beckstrom was posthumously awarded the West Virginia Distinguished Service Medal, while Wolfe was recently given the “Freedom 250: Hometown Hero Award.” Both of them were awarded the Purple Heart by President Donald Trump in February.