Washington, D.C
Suspect in Washington DC national guard shooting had ties to CIA, agency confirms
The suspected shooter of two national guard members in Washington DC on Wednesday worked with CIA-backed military units during the US war in Afghanistan, the agency has confirmed.
The alleged gunman, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, came to the US in September 2021 under an Operation Allies Welcome program that gave some Afghans who had worked for the US government entry visas to the US.
Lakanwal’s ties to the Central Intelligence Agency, which worked alongside US special forces in Afghanistan, were confirmed by the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, to media outlets on Wednesday evening.
The New York Times reported that the shooting suspect had worked for several US government agencies in Afghanistan, including a CIA-backed unit in the southern province of Kandahar, a stronghold of the Taliban.
“The Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the US government, including CIA,” Ratcliffe told Fox News digital, adding that Lakanwal’s involvement with the agency was “as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation”.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services said after the shooting that it has stopped processing residency applications from Afghan nationals.
“Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” the agency said on social media.
Following the shooting, Donald Trump ordered 500 additional national guard troops to Washington. The president described the shooting as an “act of terror” and called immigration “the single greatest national security threat facing our nation”.
Numerous roads in D.C. will be closed to traffic Monday evening for a fireworks show celebrating America’s 25th birthday.
Projectors have lit up all four sides of the Washington Monument nightly since 7 p.m. Wednesday for the “Illumination of America: Washington Monument Lighting.” The fireworks that lit up the National Mall on New Year’s Eve are making a return Monday night, which is the last night of the display.
The grand finale of the display comes with some parking restrictions and street closures.
Street and parking restrictions for Freedom 250 fireworks
D.C. police said Constitution Avenue from 14th Street to 17th Street NW will be an Emergency No Parking zone from roughly 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The following streets will be closed to traffic from approximately 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.:
- Westbound 395 – no traffic toward Maine Avenue/Independence Avenue, SW
- Independence Avenue from 15th Street to 23rd Street, SW
- Constitution Avenue from 7th Street to 12th Street, NW (westbound traffic will be restricted)
- Constitution Avenue from 12th Street to 23rd Street, NW
- Virginia Avenue from 20th Street to 18th Street, NW
- 19th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 17th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to New York Avenue, NW
- 15th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 14th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- Madison Drive from 7th Street to 14th Street, NW
Police said all street closures and listed times are subject to change.
“Freedom 250 is lighting up the Washington Monument as the world’s tallest birthday candle to kick off the nation’s 250th birthday year,” Keith Krach, CEO of Freedom 250, said ahead of the New Year’s Eve event.
Freedom 250 is the presidentially appointed committee planning the year-long celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday. It was created by the second Trump administration as part of the Department of the Interior, and is a separate organization from America250, which was created by Congress.
The event will “be looking at America’s past, present and what’s to come over the next 250 years,” Krach said.
“Primarily it will focus on the four pillars of Freedom 250, which is innovation; it’s also community and faith; it’s also on the beauty of our country as well,” Krach said. “And, you know, the other thing that’s great about that is that it’ll be something that will kind of be an animation and I think everybody’s going to enjoy it. So from adults to kids and everything.”
The event is free to the public, can be viewed from anywhere on the National Mall, and does not require tickets.
WASHINGTON (7News) — On Saturday evening, Metropolitan Police Department’s Seventh District officers responded to a fatal crash on I-295 northbound near Exit 1 for Laboratory Road, Southwest.
The incident occurred around 7:50 p.m. when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle, police said.
READ MORE | Notorious 295 speed camera rakes in $26M, while DC residents question its legitimacy
Prince George’s County police officers were already on the scene when the MPD officers arrived.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities have not yet released the victim’s age or gender.
ALSO SEE | Woman killed after pedestrian-vehicle crash in Fairfax County
The driver of the vehicle involved in the collision remained at the scene.
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Police urge anyone with information about the incident to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411.
The United States military carried out a “large scale” strike inside the nation of Venezuela early Saturday morning, in addition to capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, who were flown out of the country.
https://www.wavy.com/news/national/virginia-leaders-speak-out-after-u-s-military-strike-on-venezuela/
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