Crime
Who is Rahmanullah Lakanwal? Suspect in shooting of two National Guard members in Washington DC
Federal authorities have confirmed the identity of 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.
According to federal law enforcement and multiple verified records, Lakanwal entered the United States on August 8, 2021, under the Operation Allies Welcome program, established to support Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
His immigration parole reportedly expired in September 2025, and officials state he was in the country without valid status at the time of the incident.
Law enforcement sources report that the attack occurred in the area near the Farragut Metro Station, just blocks from the White House.
The shooting was described as intentional and ambush-style.
Approximately 10 to 15 rounds were exchanged before the suspect was struck four times and taken into custody. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he remains under police supervision. Authorities said Lakanwal did not have identification on him and has not cooperated with investigators.
Early witness accounts suggest the suspect may have shouted a phrase in a foreign language during the attack; however, investigators emphasize that these reports remain unverified pending audio analysis and interviews.
The two National Guard members sustained life-threatening injuries. While initial reports suggested both victims had died, officials later stated that their conditions remain critical, and some sources indicated they may be medically non-responsive. Confirmation from military and medical authorities is pending.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey expressed shock, 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 also issued a statement condemning the attack, noting:
โViolence is never the answer and must be swiftly condemned. The National Guard are volunteers who leave their jobs and families to serve the country. This is a heartbreaking day for D.C. and for our nation.โ
The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and local law enforcement agencies are jointly investigating the incident.
Authorities have stated that the motive is not yet confirmed, and the case is being evaluated as a possible act of terrorism based on preliminary indicators, including location, method, and early witness reports.
Officials noted there is no known connection to the White House or a broader coordinated threat.
Federal law enforcement officials report that ambush-style attacks targeting military personnel and law enforcement have increased nationwide in 2025.
The incident has renewed national discussion regarding security protocols for deployed National Guard personnel and public safety in federal districts.
Further updates will be released as additional verified information becomes available.
Authorities are urging anyone with firsthand information, video, or witness observations relevant to the investigation to contact federal investigators.
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.