Crime
29-Year-Old Afghan National Rahmanullah Lakanwal Named as Suspect in D.C. National Guard Shooting
Federal authorities have identified the suspect involved in the shooting of two National Guard service members in Washington, D.C., as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021, according to multiple law enforcement sources.
The shooting occurred near the Farragut North Metro Station, just blocks from the White House.
Law enforcement sources described the attack as ambush-style, intentional, and targeted. Approximately 10 to 15 rounds were fired during the incident.
The confrontation escalated into an exchange of gunfire, during which the suspect was struck four times before being taken into custody.
Authorities confirmed that the suspect was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and is currently in custody.
Officials say he has not cooperated with investigators and was found without identification at the time of arrest.
Reports regarding the condition of the two National Guard members have varied. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially reported the service members had died from their injuries but later stated he was receiving conflicting information and would provide updates when confirmed.
Some federal sources have indicated that the victims are in critical condition and may be medically brain dead, though no official medical confirmation has been released.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey posted:
โDenise and I are devastated by the news that two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot earlier today in Washington, D.C. Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the entire Guard community.โ
District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb also issued a statement condemning the violence, writing:
โViolence is never the answer and must be swiftly condemned by all. The National Guard are volunteers. They leave their jobs and families at a momentโs notice to serve their country. This is a heartbreaking day for D.C. and for our nation.โ
Federal and local authorities, including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, are actively investigating the shooting. Law enforcement officials have stated the motive remains under review and are examining whether the attack may qualify as an act of terrorism.
Some early witness accounts suggested the suspect may have shouted a phrase in a foreign language during the attack; however, investigators emphasized that these reports remain unverified.
There is no known connection to the White House or federal property at this time.
Officials noted that ambush-style attacks on law enforcement and military personnel have increased nationwide in 2025.
The shooting has renewed conversations surrounding military protection protocols, immigration vetting, and public safety in the nationโs capital.
Authorities continue to urge anyone with information or firsthand video evidence to contact federal investigators as the case develops.
Further updates will be released once additional verified details are available.
Crime
MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro Shooting Suspect Identified as 48-Year-Old Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente
Authorities have identified the suspect connected to both the Brown University mass shooting in Rhode Island and the fatal shooting of MIT professor Dr. Nuno F. G. Loureiro in Massachusetts as Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, according to law enforcement sources.
Investigators say Neves-Valente was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside an Extra Space Storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, effectively ending a multistate manhunt.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that Neves-Valente was not a U.S. citizen, but a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
His last known address was in Miami, Florida. Police have stated that he took his own life, and the manner of death is being investigated in coordination with the medical examiner.
Sources familiar with the investigation say Neves-Valente had a storage unit registered in his name at the Salem facility, the same location where an abandoned vehicle linked to the case was previously discovered.
Surveillance video reportedly shows him entering the storage complex; however, investigators initially could not confirm whether he exited prior to being found deceased. Authorities have said agents had not entered the unit earlier in the operation as the scene remained part of an active investigation.
Investigators also revealed that the suspect used multiple sets of license plates on the same vehicle, a tactic authorities believe was intended to evade detection.
A witness-provided license plate in the Brown University shooting led investigators to trace the vehicleโs ownership and usage history, which ultimately connected it to the Brookline, Massachusetts homicide of Dr. Loureiro.
The vehicle was later located in Salem after a license plate reader flagged one of the associated plates, prompting a significant law enforcement response involving federal, state, and local agencies near the Salem, New HampshireโMethuen, Massachusetts border.
During the search, Methuen police issued public alerts asking residents to report individuals who appeared out of place or were behaving suspiciously, while emphasizing that there was no ongoing threat to the general public.
Officials noted that the suspect appeared to have employed deliberate countermeasures, including changing plates across jurisdictions and attempting to avoid surveillance cameras and facial recognition systems.
Law enforcement sources further stated that Neves-Valente was originally from Portugal, the same country as Dr. Loureiro. Investigators are examining whether there is any significance to that shared background.
It is believed, though not yet publicly confirmed by authorities, that both men may have attended the same school in Lisbon earlier in their lives.
Additionally, Brown University officials have confirmed that Neves-Valente was previously a Brown student, attending the university from 2000 to 2001.
Records indicate he was enrolled exclusively in physics courses during that time.
The university believes he may have had classes in the same building where the shooting later occurred, though officials have stressed that this information is part of a broader factual review and not indicative of motive.
The Brown University shooting occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday, when a masked gunman dressed in black entered a lecture hall in the Barus and Holley Science Building and opened fire on students attending a final exam review session.
Two students were killedโMukhammadAziz Umurzokov, 18, of Virginia, and Ella Cook, 19, a sophomore from Alabama. Nine others were wounded, with six remaining hospitalized in stable condition at the time of the last update.
The attack triggered a massive response involving approximately 400 law enforcement officers, who conducted extensive searches of campus buildings and surrounding neighborhoods.
Although a 24-year-old man was briefly detained as a person of interest, forensic testing later cleared him, and he was released.
Separately, authorities in Brookline, Massachusetts, responded Monday night to the home of Dr. Loureiro, an MIT professor, who had been shot and later died from his injuries early Tuesday morning.
While officials initially stated there appeared to be no connection between the two cases, subsequent investigation revealed that both incidents were linked to the same suspect and vehicle.
The FBI, along with state and local agencies, continues to review evidence, digital records, and the suspectโs movements in the days leading up to both attacks.
Officials have emphasized that while the suspect is deceased, the investigation remains active as authorities work to establish motive, timeline, and any additional relevant connections.