• Attorney General Pam Bondi announces intent to pursue death penalty against Afghan national suspect
  • Two West Virginia National Guard members remain in critical condition after Wednesday's ambush
  • U.S. suspends all Afghan immigration requests indefinitely following the attack

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday she will seek the death penalty for Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghan national accused of critically wounding two National Guard members in an ambush-style shooting near the White House.

"Pray for these two soldiers," Bondi told Fox News, indicating that if their conditions worsen, Lakanwal could face terrorism charges carrying either life imprisonment or capital punishment. The announcement came less than 24 hours after the Wednesday afternoon attack that left Guardsmen Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, fighting for their lives following emergency surgery.

The incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. near 17th and I Streets NW, not far from the Farragut West Metro station. According to law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation, Lakanwal allegedly drove from his residence in Bellingham, Washington, to carry out the attack. He opened fire without provocation using a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver, shooting one guardsman who fell to the ground before leaning over to shoot again, while a second guardsman was struck multiple times.

Other National Guard members at the scene returned fire, wounding the suspect, who was taken to a local hospital under heavy guard. He currently faces three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, though authorities confirmed these charges would be upgraded if either victim dies.

In response to the attack, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services suspended all immigration requests from Afghan nationals indefinitely, representing a significant policy shift. The move follows President Donald Trump's characterization of the shooting as "an act of evil, hatred, and terror."

The FBI is leading a multi-agency investigation into what's being treated as a potential act of terrorism. Multiple search warrants have been executed around the country, including at Lakanwal's last known Washington state residence. Agents confirmed that Lakanwal entered the United States legally in September 2021 under President Biden's program to re-home Afghan allies and had previously commanded a unit of Afghan special forces that worked directly with U.S. and British troops.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that President Trump ordered 500 additional National Guard members deployed to Washington, D.C., following the attack. The incident occurs amid ongoing legal battles over the National Guard's presence in the capital, with a federal judge having ordered an end to the deployment last week while putting that order on hold for 21 days pending appeal.

Attempts to reach representatives from the West Virginia National Guard for comment on the victims' current conditions were unsuccessful Thursday afternoon. The FBI declined to provide additional details about the ongoing investigation, citing the sensitive nature of the case.