Crime
National Guard Shooting Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal Applied for Asylum in 2024, Approved Earlier This Year
Federal officials have confirmed the identity of the suspect involved in the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, age 29.
According to four senior U.S. law enforcement officials briefed on the case, Lakanwal is an Afghan national who entered the United States on September 8, 2021, as part of the Operation Allies Welcome program following the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
Records show that Lakanwal applied for asylum in 2024, and his request was approved earlier this year.
Officials also report that his previous immigration parole authorization expired in September 2025, leaving his legal status under review.
Lakanwal reportedly relocated with his wife, Khamila, and their five children to Bellingham, Washington, after arriving in the United States.
Federal sources further state that he previously served in the Afghan Special Forces and fought alongside U.S. military personnel during the conflict with the Taliban.
The shooting occurred near the Farragut Metro Station, not far from the White House.
Law enforcement officials described the attack as intentional and ambush-style.
Approximately 10 to 15 shots were fired before law enforcement and the suspect exchanged gunfire.
Lakanwal was struck four times and taken into custody after being transported to a local hospital.
Early witness statements and preliminary audio from the scene suggest the suspect may have shouted in a foreign language prior to firing.
Officials emphasize that these reports remain unverified as analysis continues.
Conflicting reports have been released regarding the condition of the two National Guard members.
Early statements suggested both had died, while later updates indicate the service members remain in critical condition.
Some federal investigative sources have described their condition as grave or potentially medically non-recoverable, though no official medical determination has been released.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey expressed condolences, stating:
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 released a statement strongly condemning the attack:
โViolence is never the answer and must be condemned. The National Guard are volunteers who leave their families and daily lives to serve their country. This is a heartbreaking day for Washington, D.C., and for our nation.โ
The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and Metropolitan Police Department are jointly leading the investigation.
Authorities say the motive remains under review, and the incident is being examined as a possible act of terrorism based on early indicators.
Officials report there is no current evidence of a broader coordinated threat or any connection to federal property or officials.
With ambush-style attacks against military and law enforcement personnel increasing nationally in 2025, this incident has raised renewed security concerns surrounding public deployment of National Guard units.
Authorities are urging the public to submit additional video footage, witness accounts, or relevant information to assist the investigation.
Further verified updates will be released as information is confirmed.
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.