Washington
Suspect in deadly shooting of National Guard troops pleads not guilty to new charges
A man accused of shooting two National Guard troops near the White House, killing one of them, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges in a new indictment that make him eligible for a possible death sentence if he is convicted.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, was arraigned on 17 counts, including first-degree murder, in the new indictment handed up by a federal grand jury in Washington. Lakanwal originally pleaded not guilty in January to nine charges in the November 2025 shooting that killed Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe.
Before the Justice Department announces whether it will seek the death penalty against Lakanwal, his defense attorneys can meet with prosecutors and present any evidence that they believe weighs against a death sentence.
Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, were deployed with the West Virginia National Guard for the federal law-enforcement surge that began in August in Washington, D.C., at the direction of President Donald Trump.
Lakanwal is accused of driving to the nation’s capital from Bellingham, Washington, while in possession of a stolen firearm and ambushing the two Guard members outside a subway station three blocks from the White House.
Another National Guard member heard gunshots and saw Beckstrom and Wolfe fall to the ground as Lakanwal fired a gun and screamed, “Allahu Akbar!” according to a police report.
Lakanwal, who was shot during the confrontation, was seated in a wheelchair during his arraignment on Tuesday. He didn’t speak during the hearing; one of his attorneys entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Lakanwal entered the U.S. in 2021 through a Biden administration program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from the country. Lakanwal worked with the American government, including the CIA, “as a member of a partner force” in Kandahar, Afghanistan, CIA Director John Ratcliffe has said.
Lakanwal is due back in court Sept. 16. A trial date for his case hasn’t been scheduled yet.
The Washington Commanders are looking for a bounce back performance from their offense, and they’ll need their wide receivers to take a step up to do so.
Terry McLaurin is the clear No. 1 option at the position, but after him, there are several questions about how the rest of the room will shake out. The No. 2 spot is wide open, and there are several players who could fit the role and others in David Blough’s new scheme. Analysts Santana Moss, Logan Paulsen and Fred Smoot broke down the position on one of the most recent “Command Center” podcast episodes, and as one of the franchise’s all-time best receivers, Moss had a few thoughts on the group. Here’s his assessment on three wideouts and how they could fit into the offense.
“Knowing that he can play both outside and inside, I would think with some of the guys and their size and their experience, I would mainly probably see Antonio attack that middle. I think his route running ability is already to the level of some of these guys who have already played at this level. And just showing me that you don’t look like that this is new to you … He ain’t scared to go out and compete against these guys. To me — and we don’t know anything; we’re just sitting here speculating and assuming — I’d say he’s a slot guy out the gate.”
“I think if I had to just say if I look at that paper, and I asked any coach in this building by name how they think this guy played…if you tell me that Burks played well this offseason, he would be my No. 2 out the gate. He would be my No. 2 wide receiver because one: he brings size, he brings speed, he brings a gear at that size that a lot of people ain’t comfortable checking … You got a guy with size, leaping ability, the catch radius and can run.”
“They talk about how he was one of those guys from Day 1 that could play every position, and that’s stemming from him being a quarterback. Quarterbacks learn the game a little different from just a regular skill position guy. Luke came in here, and he knew X, he knew Z, he knew Gator. When you have those intangibles and you have that kind of mindset when it comes to playing that position, they can use him where they want to use him. That’s why I said he’s a great committee guy. He’s a guy that I know I’m gonna have on special teams as a returner, and guess what? If he’s not the starter, I’m okay with that because I know I’m going to ask more of him if somebody needs to take a breather.
WASHINGTON — The Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., is featuring Georgia among its participating states. The fair had to close for several hours Friday because of the heat, but reopened to visitors.
Georgia’s booth showcases the state’s No. 1 industry: agriculture. The display focuses on peaches, peanuts, Vidalia onions and poultry.
One fairgoer said Georgia’s agricultural offerings were a surprise.
“I was not aware that you did eggs in Georgia. I should have figured that out since Waffle House is pretty much in every town, but that was a learning, and then, of course going along with eggs is chickens,” the attendee said.
All states are represented at the fair, though not all are participating directly.
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Storm Team4 is tracking severe thunderstorms, flood watches and flash flood warnings. See all weather alerts here.
4 things to know about the weather:
- Strong storms and downpours taper off as a cooler pattern settles into the DMV
- Temperatures fall back below normal for early July with highs mainly in the 80s
- Periods of clouds and scattered showers/storms remain possible through midweek
- Humidity stays up there, but the dangerous heat is taking a break (thank goodness)
After a heat wave and some strong thunderstorms, the weather pattern across Washington and the DMV turns noticeably less hot this week.
A frontal boundary settling south of the region will bring cooler temperatures, more clouds, and periodic chances for showers through midweek. While it won’t be a washout, keep the umbrella nearby as unsettled conditions linger. Temperatures remain much more comfortable compared to the recent heat wave.
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
QuickCast
MONDAY
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and storms possible
A few pockets of heavier rain cannot be ruled out
Humid, but significantly cooler. Heat Index and low 90s
Wind: East to northeast 5–10 mph
Chance of rain: 50%
Highs: 85° to 89°
MONDAY NIGHT
Mostly cloudy with a few lingering showers
Mild and humid
Wind: Light
Lows: 71°–74°
TUESDAY
Mostly cloudy and cooler
Showers still possible
Less intense humidity compared to previous days
Highs: 82°–86°
WEDNESDAY
Mostly cloudy with a few breaks of sun; highs in the lower 80s
A few showers possible
THURSDAY
Warmer and more humid as sunshine returns
Scattered afternoon storms possible
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
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