The Afghan terrorist accused of shooting two National Guard troops just blocks from the White House had been living a seemingly ordinary family life in a $2,000-a-month apartment in the idyllic town of Bellingham, Washington, where stunned neighbors told the New York Post the FBI busted into his home during a dramatic Wednesday raid.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was often spotted playing Call of Duty and FIFA inside the bare apartment he shared with his hijab-wearing wife and five kids, according to shocked neighbors who spoke to The Post on Thursday.
The refugees, who arrived in 2021 following the chaotic US pullout from Afghanistan, reportedly had no beds and slept on "some couch cushions" in the sparse living space.
Despite the family's modest living conditions, neighbors said they "never made a peep," with one noting that Lakanwal didn't speak much English and his oldest child is just 14. "Bellingham is very liberal," the neighbor said, describing the area, which housed Afghan evacuees after the botched withdrawal, as "Very welcoming. Very diverse. Very open."
Lakanwal, who fought in Afghanistan and entered the US under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome program, allegedly opened fire on National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, as they patrolled near the White House around 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
Both troops were left critically wounded in the attack, with Beckstrom's father telling the New York Times she has a "mortal wound" after being shot in the head and chest with a .357 Magnum-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver.
A third guardsman rushed to the scene and took Lakanwal down, leaving the alleged shooter with gunshot wounds in the melee. The brave actions of this unnamed hero likely prevented further bloodshed and saved countless lives.
Following the ambush-style attack, Lakanwal's neighbor said federal agents kicked down the accused gunman's mustard-colored front door about 16 hours later.
"I heard loud banging on the door and guys yelling 'FBI,'" the local recalled.
"They took everybody out of the apartment but I don't think the kids were there. It's pretty shocking. Every sign in the world is pointing [to Lakanwal being the shooter] but there are some things that just aren't adding up," the neighbor added.
"One thing that stuck out to us was that law enforcement didn't show up until 16, 17 hours after it happened. It's hard to [know why he did it] because you don't know his mindset. You know if he just snapped."
A motive for the shooting is still unclear, with officials describing it as a "targeted attack" and claiming that Lakanwal drove cross-country from Washington state to carry out the rampage.
The CIA confirmed Lakanwal worked with one of its elite counterterrorism "Unit Zero" in Afghanistan, raising questions about how he was vetted before entering the US.
Lakanwal is facing at least three counts of assault with intent to kill and criminal possession of a weapon, with the possibility of up to 15 years behind bars.
However, federal prosecutors have vowed to pursue the death penalty if either of his victims succumbs to their injuries. "I will tell you early, we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country," Homeland Security Secretary Pam Bondi told Fox News. Recent reports indicate that National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom has died.
As the world reels from this shocking attack, many are left wondering how an Afghan terrorist managed to slip through the cracks and wreak havoc just steps from the heart of American democracy.
