In a shocking development that has intensified an already volatile situation, right-wing commentator Nick Fuentes has presented a controversial perspective on the brutal Washington DC shooting that claimed the lives of two National Guard members. Fuentes asserts that the suspect, identified as Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was not a hidden Taliban sympathizer but rather a longtime collaborator with United States military forces.
Fuentes' Explosive Claims About Afghan Suspect
During his live stream, Fuentes made startling allegations about the nature of Lakanwal's background and connection to American operations. "These are not Afghans that were with the Taliban, these are Afghans that were working with the United States Military," Fuentes declared emphatically.
The commentator further argued that many Afghans evacuated to the United States during the 2021 withdrawal were not ordinary refugees seeking asylum. Instead, he characterized them as individuals who had worked directly with American forces as recruits and were evacuated specifically because their cooperation with the US made them targets after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan.
Fuentes went so far as to label these individuals not as refugees but as US military "mercenaries," a characterization that has added fuel to the already heated debate surrounding the shooting incident and the broader context of Afghan evacuations.
Brutal Attack Details Emerge
As Fuentes made these claims, additional disturbing details about the shooting incident came to light. The gunman, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the United States under Operation Allies Welcome in 2021 but subsequently overstayed his visa, according to official sources.
Authorities revealed that Lakanwal employed tactical positioning near the Farragut West Metro Station, lying in wait before opening fire on two Guardsmen who were conducting routine patrol duties. The attack was particularly brutal, with one female guard being shot in the chest and then the head. A second guard also sustained gunshot wounds before a third soldier intervened and neutralized the attacker.
Graphic videos from the scene showed Lakanwal being shot four times during the confrontation and transported nearly naked in an ambulance. The swift response from the third soldier likely prevented additional casualties.
Background and Investigation Developments
Family members speaking to NBC News provided crucial background information about Lakanwal's military history. They confirmed that Lakanwal had served in the Afghan Army in Kandahar and had worked closely with US Special Forces operations. During his service, he had even sustained battle injuries before relocating to America.
Lakanwal resided in Bellingham, Washington, one of the designated areas that received Afghan evacuees under Operation Allies Welcome. Federal sources cited by the New York Post indicated that his Special Immigrant Visa had expired in September, raising questions about his legal status at the time of the attack.
Law enforcement authorities have not yet announced a definitive motive for the shooting, but the FBI is treating the case as a potential act of terrorism as the investigation continues. The timing and nature of the attack, combined with the suspect's background, have created a complex scenario that investigators are carefully unraveling.
The incident has reignited debates about the vetting process for Afghan evacuees and the long-term implications of the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan. As the investigation progresses, more details are expected to emerge about Lakanwal's activities and potential motivations behind the deadly assault that has left the National Guard community and the nation in mourning.
