Bellingham man accused of killing National Guard member faces additional charges
A Bellingham man accused of shooting two National Guard members, one fatally, in Washington, D.C. in November was indicted Tuesday on new charges that are eligible for the death penalty, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 30, allegedly drove across the country with a stolen gun and opened fire in D.C. on Nov. 26. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured.
Lakanwal was previously indicted on nine charges in federal court in January, including premeditated first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The new 17-count indictment, which supersedes the previous one, maintains the charges of 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.
However, it also includes new charges related to the murder and attempted murder of a person assisting an officer and employee of the United States, as well as the discharge of a firearm during a violent crime that causes death. This, along with other findings by the grand jury related to Lakanwal’s intentional killing of Beckstrom, will trigger review by the Department of Justice’s Capital Case Committee to determine whether they will seek the death penalty.
Multiple news outlets, including The Associated Press, reported that Lakanwal pleaded not guilty Tuesday to all 17 charges.
This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 1:19 PM.