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
Mustapha Kharbouch Now-Deleted 2024 Manifesto Published in Institute for Palestine Studies Recovered
Brown University has removed multiple online references to student activist Mustapha Kharbouch in the days following a deadly campus shooting, a move that has drawn public attention amid heightened online speculationโdespite law enforcement officials confirming that no suspects or persons of interest have been identified in the investigation.
Archived versions of Brown University webpages show that Kharbouch, a first-year student at the time, was previously listed in several university-affiliated roles, including as a student assistant and Cultural Programming Coordinator connected to the Global Brown Center.
His academic interests were described as focusing on International and Public Affairs and Anthropology, with involvement in Middle Eastโfocused academic, cultural, and student programming.
Those pages are no longer accessible, and Kharbouchโs social media accounts have also been deactivated.
A verified buyer from the United States with the name “Mustapha K.” reviewed a 9MM muzzle brake through the Wing Tactical website on December 29th, 2024 โ the same caliber used in the Brown shooting.
There are approximately a few hundred people in the entire United States with that first name + last initial combination.
University officials have not issued a public explanation for the removal of the online profiles.
The changes occurred as online speculation intensified in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with social media users circulating screenshots of archived university pages and past writings associated with Kharbouch.
Among the materials resurfaced by online users was a 2024 essay authored by Kharbouch and published by the Institute for Palestine Studies as part of a special student essay series titled Genocide in Gaza: Student Essays โ Brown University Encampment 2024.
The essay, titled โI Hear the Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From the Camps to the Campus,โ was published on August 13, 2024, months before the shooting. The piece is a first-person reflective essay examining Palestinian identity, intergenerational memory, student activism, and questions of hope amid displacement, war, and protest.
The article includes poetic excerpts adapted from โAncestors Song,โ a chant popularized during student-led Palestine solidarity actions at Brown University, and documents Kharbouchโs participation in campus organizing efforts, including sit-ins, hunger strikes, rallies, and the Brown Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
The essay situates these experiences within a broader discussion of decolonial thought, feminist theory, and Palestinian history, including reflections on the 1948 Nakba and the authorโs family history as a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon.
The content of the essay is ideological, autobiographical, and academic in nature.
There is no reference to violence on campus, nor any indication of intent or planning related to criminal activity.
The Institute for Palestine Studies has not issued any statement suggesting the piece is under review or connected to the shooting.
Despite widespread online conjecture, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Providence Police, have not named Mustapha Kharbouch as a suspect or person of interest, and have publicly stated that there is no evidence linking him to the shooting.
Investigators have emphasized that the case remains active and that conclusions are being guided strictly by verified evidence.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing inferences from online speculation, warning that unsubstantiated claims can compromise investigations and cause undue harm to individuals not implicated by facts.
Media analysts and campus observers have suggested that Brown Universityโs decision to remove online references may have been taken as a protective or precautionary measure, particularly as misinformation and harassment proliferated across social media platforms following the attack.
Similar actions have been taken by institutions in other high-profile incidents to limit doxxing, targeted harassment, or the misinterpretation of publicly available biographical information during periods of heightened tension.
Brown University has not confirmed whether the removals were temporary, administrative, or safety-related in nature.
Authorities continue to urge the public to rely on confirmed information released by law enforcement and to avoid amplifying unverified narratives.
As of the most recent update, no arrests have been announced, no individuals have been publicly identified as suspects, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with credible information related to the shooting has been asked to contact investigators directly.