Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of killing a National Guard member and opening fire on others near the White House last year, has been transferred from prison to a hospital after refusing to eat or drink water, according to court records.

Federal prosecutors informed the court that Lakanwal was hospitalized on Wednesday around midnight to "preserve his life." This followed warnings from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in June that Lakanwal was refusing to "consume adequate nutrition for an extended period."

Officials with the USMS expressed concern that Lakanwal had put himself "at risk for long-term health consequences, including a potential risk of death," as noted in the court filing. In an emergency hearing, D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta described the suspect's condition as "dire" and "self-inflicted."

Court records also state that on November 26, Lakanwal allegedly drove his Toyota Prius from his home in Bellingham, Washington, to the District of Columbia while in possession of a stolen firearm. Investigators reportedly recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle in 2023.

The shooting incident resulted in the posthumous awarding of the West Virginia Distinguished Service Medal to Beckstrom and the "Freedom 250: Hometown Hero Award" to Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe. Both were also awarded the Purple Heart by President Donald Trump in February.

The government has been prohibited from receiving medical records concerning Lakanwal’s treatment during his hospitalization.

Sources