Afghan national charged in National Guard shooting pleads not guilty

The Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., in November has pleaded not guilty.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is accused of shooting West Virginia National Guard Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24. Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries, while Wolfe was critically injured and remains hospitalized.

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DOJ prosecutors told Judge Amit Mehta on Wednesday that the death penalty had not been taken off the table, though none of the charges Lakanwal is facing are death penalty-eligible. However, DOJ prosecutors said that they are considering all potential charges and “pursuing those options,” including a superseding indictment which could potentially include charges that could bring the death penalty into play.

Mehta said he would need to know soon and prosecutors told him they would try to have an answer by the next status conference, which is scheduled for May 6.

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Lakanwal appeared in court wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and a white prayer shawl. He arrived in a wheelchair, which could be due to injuries sustained after the alleged attack, as he was shot at the time and was hospitalized for weeks after the incident.

Lakanwal was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of the D.C. Code. He was later charged with transporting a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year and with transporting a stolen firearm in interstate commerce. 

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“The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement when the new charges were announced.

“Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery,” Pirro added.

This is a developing story. Please check for more details.