National Guard Attack Accused Was Isolated for Weeks Alone in Bedroom, Social Worker's Message Revealed.

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The individual alleged to have carried out shooting two National Guard members in the nation's capital last week had reportedly spent weeks at a time in solitude in a dark room and experienced "periods of mania," according to comments written in 2024 by a case worker that helped the individual's family.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal is accused of perpetrating an "ambush" that killed Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically wounded Andrew Wolf, 24.

Officials stated the man in his late twenties entered the US in 2021 under a programme for individuals from Afghanistan who had assisted American troops in Afghanistan.

Emerging Information on Psychological State

Based on electronic correspondence from last year, Mr. Lakanwal faced challenges with his mental health.

In a different message sent on 31 January 2024, the case worker said Mr. Lakanwal "spends most of his time for consecutive weeks in his blacked-out bedroom, not speaking to a soul, not even his spouse and children."

The individual, who was not a clinician, also said Mr. Lakanwal had "hyperactive periods for a week or two at a time where he would take off in the family car." They also described he had periods in which he would try to "make amends."

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History and Recent Events

Mr. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, entered the US via the recent Operation Allies Welcome. This was during the period after the chaotic US military exit from Afghanistan.

He applied for refugee status in 2024, and his request was granted earlier this year.

He lived with his family in a city in Washington state.

"World Relief workers are attempting to assist for that family - but I think the father has mental health issues that are untreated, and he won't talk to anybody," a section of an previous communication reads.

Last week, a childhood friend informed a publication that Mr. Lakanwal had dealt with psychological challenges after his work with his team in Afghanistan.

Mr. Lakanwal had allegedly been a member of a "special unit" - an local intelligence and paramilitary force that collaborated with a US intelligence agency.

Official Response and Charges

In the days after the shooting in Washington DC, the administration vowed to "halt migration" from certain countries.

The administration has paused all refugee claims "to guarantee that every individual is vetted and screened to the fullest extent," a senior official stated.

Mr. Lakanwal, who was injured during the incident and remains in hospital, is facing murder charges.