Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of a fatal ambush on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., has been hospitalized in dire circumstances after refusing food and water, according to court documents. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta stated Thursday that Lakanwal's health has deteriorated substantially while in pretrial detention.
Lakanwal, 29, was admitted to George Washington University Hospital this week. His condition is described as "in some sense self-inflicted" due to his refusal to eat or drink. The U.S. Marshals Service had alerted prosecutors two weeks prior to a significant health issue.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Lakanwal, who faces charges including first-degree armed premeditated murder, attempted murder of three other individuals, and assault with intent to kill. He has pleaded not guilty to all 17 counts.
He is accused of ambushing West Virginia Army National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, near the Farragut West Metro Station on Nov. 26, 2025. Prosecutors allege Lakanwal, armed with a stolen revolver, shot both soldiers in the head. Beckstrom died the following day, Thanksgiving, while Wolfe, though critically wounded, has since shown significant recovery.
Lakanwal, who came to the U.S. as a refugee and is a former Afghan special forces soldier, allegedly traveled cross-country from his home in Washington state to carry out the attack. He sustained injuries during the incident after being shot by a National Guard supervisor and had previously attended court hearings in a wheelchair.
Lawyers for Lakanwal and the prosecution have debated access to his medical records. While the defense argued that the government could use such records to formulate trial defenses, they ultimately agreed to the handover of limited medical records from the current week. Prosecutors require access to these records to make informed recommendations to the court regarding his medical treatment.