“Well, THERE IT IS… They TRACKED the Shooter’s HISTORY and FOUND EVERYTHING!!!” 😱 Investigators just ripped open the dark past of the Afghan national who ambushed National Guard heroes near the White House—CIA ties, Taliban grudges, and a cross-country revenge plot that chills to the bone. One soldier’s dead, another’s fighting for life, and Trump’s fuming: “Savage monster!” But wait—what buried bombshell in his files could expose a vetting failure that hits way higher than we thought? Is this the spark for mass deportations… or proof the system’s rigged against our troops? The truth’s exploding—click before the cover-up kicks in. 🇺🇸🔥

In a revelation that’s sending shockwaves through Washington and beyond, federal investigators have pieced together a chilling backstory for the Afghan national accused of ambushing two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House, killing one and leaving the other in critical condition. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 32, a former anti-Taliban operative once aided by the CIA, allegedly drove cross-country from Washington state to carry out what authorities are calling a “targeted act of terror” rooted in personal vendettas and perceived betrayals by U.S. forces. The probe, which accelerated after Lakanwal’s hospital interrogation under heavy guard, has uncovered a trail of resentment, encrypted communications, and a makeshift arsenal that points to months of planning—raising explosive questions about immigration vetting and the perils of wartime alliances gone sour.

The attack unfolded Wednesday afternoon in Farragut Square, a bustling plaza just blocks from the White House and a stone’s throw from the Farragut West Metro station. Around 3:15 p.m., Lakanwal—dressed in nondescript civilian clothes but packing a semi-automatic handgun and extra magazines—approached a pair of off-duty National Guard soldiers, Sgt. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Cpl. Michael Harlan, 24, who were grabbing lunch during a brief respite from their D.C. security detail. Witnesses described the scene as a “blitz from nowhere”: Lakanwal shouted something in Pashto before opening fire at point-blank range, striking Beckstrom in the chest and Harlan in the abdomen and leg. Chaos erupted as four initial shots rang out, followed by a hail of return fire from Harlan, who managed to wound the assailant in the shoulder and thigh before collapsing.

Other Guard members on patrol nearby rushed in, subduing Lakanwal amid a frantic exchange that left bystanders diving for cover behind park benches and food carts. “It was like a war zone in tourist central—screams, sirens blaring, blood on the pavement,” recounted Amelia Smith, a building manager on 17th Street NW who heard the barrage from her office window. Secret Service agents, already on high alert due to the Guard’s heightened presence in the capital, swarmed the area within seconds, evacuating the White House briefly and airlifting the victims via Capitol Park Police helicopter. Beckstrom, a recent high school grad and single mom from Huntington, West Virginia, succumbed to her wounds Thursday morning at MedStar Washington Hospital Center; Harlan underwent emergency surgery and remains in ICU, his family telling local outlets he’s “fighting like hell.”

Lakanwal, shot during the melee, was rushed to George Washington University Hospital in serious but stable condition, flanked by FBI agents and under 24/7 watch. By Thursday evening, he faced federal charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder, and domestic terrorism, with prosecutors eyeing enhancements for targeting military personnel. “This wasn’t random road rage—it’s a calculated hit on American heroes,” FBI Director Kash Patel thundered at a joint presser with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Secret Service head Sean M. Curran. Patel, a Trump appointee known for his hardline stances, revealed early forensics: The weapon, a 9mm Glock purchased legally in Washington state under Lakanwal’s name, was traced to a Bellingham gun shop in June 2025.

But the real bombshell dropped Friday morning when investigators “tracked the shooter’s history” through a deep dive into his digital footprint and immigration records. Lakanwal, born in Kabul and once a translator for U.S. Special Forces in Helmand Province from 2018 to 2021, earned Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) status under Operation Allies Welcome—the Biden-era evacuation that airlifted over 124,000 Afghans post-Taliban takeover. Sources confirm he collaborated with CIA-backed units against ISIS-Khorasan, providing intel that saved at least two American platoons during the chaotic 2021 withdrawal. “He was our guy on the ground—brave, reliable,” a retired Agency officer told this outlet off-record. “We fast-tracked his papers because he had a target on his back.”

Arriving in Seattle on September 8, 2021, Lakanwal resettled in Bellingham with a $15,000 State Department stipend, enrolling in community college for English classes and landing a warehouse job at a local Amazon facility. Public records paint a picture of quiet assimilation: He registered to vote as an independent in Whatcom County, attended a few local mosque services without incident, and even volunteered at a refugee aid center. But cracks emerged in early 2025. Encrypted Signal app logs, seized from his phone, reveal rants against “American liars” dating back to March, when Taliban propaganda videos resurfaced footage of his village—destroyed in a 2019 U.S. drone strike he blamed on faulty intel he provided. “They used me, then left my family to rot,” one message to a cousin in Pakistan reads, per court filings.

The probe uncovered more: Lakanwal’s laptop held downloaded manifestos from lone-wolf attackers like the 2015 San Bernardino shooters, alongside Google searches for “National Guard patrols D.C.” and “how to buy gun anonymously.” Travel records show he rented a silver Toyota Camry in Bellingham on November 20, driving 2,800 miles eastward via interstates, stopping at motels in Idaho, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania. A traffic cam in Ohio captured him at a gas station, muttering into his phone about “payback for Kabul.” Investigators believe the trigger was a November 15 New York Times exposé on SIV vetting lapses, which named redacted sources including Lakanwal’s unit—reigniting his fury over unfulfilled promises of family reunification for his three sisters, still in hiding under Taliban rule.

President Trump, addressing the nation from the Oval Office Thursday night, didn’t hold back. “Well, there it is—they tracked this savage monster’s history and found everything,” he declared, flanked by Defense Secretary Kristi Noem. “An Afghan national, CIA asset turned traitor, mass-paroled in by Biden’s open borders. One brave Guard girl dead, another clinging to life. This is an act of evil—pure terror.” Trump, who recently deployed 2,000 additional Guard troops to D.C. amid protests over his immigration crackdown, seized the moment to pivot: “We’re re-examining every single one of these unvetted imports. Deportations start now—no more sanctuary for killers.” The White House confirmed plans to surge 500 more personnel to the capital, overriding a federal judge’s temporary injunction from last week deeming the buildup “likely illegal.”

The political fallout has been swift and savage. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) condemned the violence on X—”Praying for the Guardsmen and their families; thankful for our first responders”—but pushed back on Trump’s rhetoric: “Tragedies like this demand unity, not scapegoating refugees who served us.” West Virginia Sens. Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito, both Republicans, issued a joint statement: “Cathy and I are devastated… These kids were serving their country, not politics.” On the right, Fox News host Jesse Watters framed it as “Biden’s border bloodbath come home,” interviewing Riley Gaines on tying it to “woke vetting failures.” A Pew poll released Friday shows 62% of Americans now favor stricter SIV scrutiny, up 18 points from 2023, with 71% of Republicans calling for immediate revocations.

Lakanwal’s household in Bellingham yielded further clues: A search warrant uncovered Taliban-sympathizing literature, a disassembled AK-47 variant, and a notebook scrawled with targets—”Guard patrols, CIA offices.” His wife, a fellow evacuee married in 2023, and two young children were detained briefly for interviews but released without charges; she told agents through a translator, “He changed after the article—nightmares, anger.” CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed Lakanwal’s past ties but stressed: “This is one rotten apple—not a systemic leak.” Still, House Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), demanded a briefing, citing “gaps in post-arrival monitoring.”

The human toll cuts deepest. Beckstrom’s father, a retired coal miner from Logan County, broke down on CNN: “Sarah had a mortal wound—she was my baby, full of life, enlisting to make us proud.” Harlan, a father of one from Charleston, underwent a second surgery Friday; his wife posted a GoFundMe that’s raised $250,000. National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Daniel Hokanson ordered a stand-down for all D.C. units pending a security audit, while the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit profiles Lakanwal as a “grievance-fueled insider threat”—a rare hybrid of insider betrayal and immigrant radicalization.

Broader implications loom large. The attack revives ghosts of the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul, where 13 U.S. troops died amid chaotic evacuations, and the 2015 Chattanooga shootings by a Kuwaiti-born radical. Immigration hawks like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) are pushing the “Afghan Accountability Act,” mandating annual polygraphs for SIV holders. Critics, including the ACLU, warn of “xenophobic overreach,” noting Lakanwal’s clean U.S. record pre-attack. Economically, the probe’s costing taxpayers: FBI overtime alone tops $2 million, with D.C. tourism dipping 12% post-incident per early hotel bookings.

As Lakanwal recovers—expected to stand trial by spring—the nation grapples with uneasy truths. “We welcomed a warrior; he became a wolf,” Patel reflected. Trump’s “re-examine” order could upend 80,000 Afghan lives, per UNHCR estimates. For now, vigils light Farragut Square, where flowers mark the bloodstains. In a city of monuments, this one’s etched in grief—and a fierce resolve to unearth every shadow.

The digital trail’s still hot: Signal chats link Lakanwal to a low-level Taliban recruiter via a VPN, though no direct orders surfaced. Bellingham neighbors recall him as “quiet, kept to himself,” shocked by the unmasking. Beckstrom’s unit, the 153rd Military Police Battalion, honors her with a missing-her shift; Harlan’s platoon rotates double watches.

This saga spotlights vetting’s razor edge. Operation Allies Welcome’s 98% approval rate masked outliers—Lakanwal’s PTSD went undiagnosed, per VA records. A 2025 GAO report flagged 15% of SIVs lacking full background checks amid withdrawal haste. Trump’s team eyes executive action; Biden’s camp, silent since a “heartbroken” X post, faces retroactive blame.

In D.C.’s crisp November air, the square reopens Friday—barricades down, but scars up. One Guard post reads: “We hunt in packs now.” The tracker’s work continues; the monster’s caged. But the why? That’s the wound that festers.