Shooting reported near White House

[BetteDavisEyes]

One could apply that to all victims though. That's the thing. I'm anti-DP in all cases, but I'm curious for those who are also anti-DP in most cases, but not this, what's the difference? Is it that she was NG? I'm not saying that's wrong. My heart breaks for her family and I have nothing but respect for the young woman. I just don't agree with the DP in general.

MOO.

The shooting of National Guardsmen was an attack on American military personnel. It may be a federal crime that warrants the death penalty. JMO

 

[Mauig’ma]

A leading national refugee agency was warned multiple times that the Afghan terror suspect accused of murdering one National Guard member and critically injuring another was spiraling into mania and mental illness beginning in 2023, according to a bombshell email leak.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal‘s behavior was so disturbing that a local community advocate reached out to a refugee organization for help, according to emails to the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) seen by the Associated Press.

Refugee group was warned that DC shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal was spiraling into mania — he got asylum anyway

Alternating between “periods of dark isolation and reckless travel,” the Afghan suspect sometimes spent weeks in his “darkened room, not speaking to anyone, not even his wife or o…

nypost.com

…

More at link

Could this have been prevented? Seems so

 

[Stunned]

How did they obtain guns?

Someone might have lent guns to them, but that person had to buy them from someone too. I seriously doubt they brought the guns from Afghanistan.

I think that whoever broke the gun sales laws has to be found out and prosecuted too.

With Rahmanullah, I seriously wonder if he was buying stuff to self-medicate. WA has liberal laws re. use, but not re. illegal manufacturing or sales. If this was a factor, it needs to be known.

I wonder if the serial numbers were still on the guns? I'd guess no. IMO

 

[SouthAussie]

I'll bet he did have insane PTSD if half the stories about the zero units are true.

Quote:

Lt Gen Sami Sadat, former commanding general of the Afghan National Special Operations Corps, said ..... Lakanwal “was generally calm and maintained a clean record, though he suffered from PTSD.”

‘Death squad’: DC shooter Rahmanullah Lakanwal is linked to Afghanistan's elite ‘Zero Unit’ - What is it - The Times of India

US News: An Afghan national, formerly with US military and CIA-backed units, was arrested for a daylight shooting in Washington D.C. The incident led the Trump

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

 

[knla]

He could have stolen the gun.

 

[Elley Mae]

Couldn’t pay rent, didn’t have job, yet had a gun and ammo, a car (vehicle) and was able to drive across the usa and murder 1 and seriously would another.
Go figure. Did he think he would be taken care of for life?

Jmo

 

[justtrish]

I'm generally not a proponent of the DP, but in this case, it's the only way to seek justice for the shooting of two National Guardsmen, killing one. I hope the shooter doesn't sit behind bars for years and years before his punishment is carried out.

One could apply that to all victims though. That's the thing. I'm anti-DP in all cases, but I'm curious for those who are also anti-DP in most cases, but not this, what's the difference? Is it that she was NG? I'm not saying that's wrong. My heart breaks for her family and I have nothing but respect for the young woman. I just don't agree with the DP in general.

MOO.

I wish we didn't need a DP. I do think there are cases that it is an appropriate sentence.

I see this case as one of soldier on solider crime. Even though he wasn't a US servicemember, he served in his country and worked along beside the US and other allies for many years. Those relationships are built on trust and having each other's backs. Their survival often depends on looking out for one another. It's such a betrayal for him to then take the life of a servicemember.

The fact he drove from Washington State all the way to DC to shoot people shows he had plenty of time to think about what he was doing. He didn't snap and kill someone he was fighting with; he went to a lot of effort to do what he did and with that came plenty of time to change his mind and drive back home.

I also think he chose to do this in DC and he chose servicemembers to make a statement, get attention, or something like that and to me that makes it even more egregious. These were strangers to him and people who did nothing to him, they were just walking down the street, and he laid in wait for them. They were ambushed.

I've felt the same with other soldier on soldier homicides.

 

[Ontario Mom]

I wish we didn't need a DP. I do think there are cases that it is an appropriate sentence.

I see this case as one of soldier on solider crime. Even though he wasn't a US servicemember, he served in his country and worked along beside the US and other allies for many years. Those relationships are built on trust and having each other's backs. Their survival often depends on looking out for one another. It's such a betrayal for him to then take the life of a servicemember.

The fact he drove from Washington State all the way to DC to shoot people shows he had plenty of time to think about what he was doing. He didn't snap and kill someone he was fighting with; he went to a lot of effort to do what he did and with that came plenty of time to change his mind and drive back home.

I also think he chose to do this in DC and he chose servicemembers to make a statement, get attention, or something like that and to me that makes it even more egregious. These were strangers to him and people who did nothing to him, they were just walking down the street, and he laid in wait for them. They were ambushed.

I've felt the same with other soldier on soldier homicides.

Well stated. Agreed completely.

 

[knla]

Lakanwal is on a ventilator. The gun used in the shooting belonged to a deceased Washington State Resident. The newer info is toward the end of the article.

D.C. National Guard shooting suspect identified as Afghan national who had worked with CIA. Here's what we know.

A 29-year-old Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been identified as the suspected shooter in the ambush that killed one National Guard member and wounded another in D.C., officials say.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Ontario Mom]

Lakanwal is on a ventilator. The gun used in the shooting belonged to a deceased Washington State Resident. The newer info is toward the end of the article.

D.C. National Guard shooting suspect identified as Afghan national who had worked with CIA. Here's what we know.

A 29-year-old Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been identified as the suspected shooter in the ambush that killed one National Guard member and wounded another in D.C., officials say.

www.cbsnews.com

"The first victim — a female guard member — was struck immediately and collapsed where she stood. She sustained at least two gunshot wounds during the ambush, the sources said. Then, the suspect took her weapon and used it to continue shooting, striking the second guard member, according to multiple sources."

This just makes the act even more evil, if it were possible.

 

[Sundog]

Could this have been prevented? Seems so

From the various reports on this, it is not clear if they ever made contact with the shooter or his family. Also, it is noted in some of the reports that he refused help when it was offered. That's the best the government and NGOs can do, they can't babysit an immigrant, but in this case it seems that they went way beyond the normal offers of support.

 

[Charlot123]

Couldn’t pay rent, didn’t have job, yet had a gun and ammo, a car (vehicle) and was able to drive across the usa and murder 1 and seriously would another.
Go figure. Did he think he would be taken care of for life?

Jmo

Few may know, but gas price in WA is currently very high due to pipeline outage. Approximately $1.12 higher per gallon than the national average. So add this.

AAA Fuel Prices

 

[justtrish]

For clarity, reading the entire article, of the 70,000 Afgan people brought into the country after Taliban took control again, 7,000 were found to have potential security concerns, or 10% (the article does not say when this was discovered). "While various US agencies were able to resolve many of the red flags, as of September there were still 885 people with potentially negative national security information." This represents a little over 1% of the original 70,000. The vast majority of Afghan people who were brought here are living there lives without incident.

There is a great deal of political, partisan rhetoric surrounding this issue. This is clear in this article, from the BBC, which attempted a deep dive into this issue of how Afghan nationals were vetted and what the process was for bringing them over.

How were Afghan evacuees vetted under Biden?

BBC Verify looks into claims that the Afghan national suspected of shooting two National Guard members in Washington DC entered the US unvetted.

www.bbc.com

"Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the immigration advocacy group the National Immigration Forum, told BBC Verify she was present at the US military bases where evacuees were initially processed.
"Evacuees were processed on military bases and held for several weeks, and even months, until they were ready for entrance into the United States. This is when the security vetting and medical screening was processed, extensively", she said.
"Even the best vetting can't predict the future. He [Lakanwal] could have had a clean record, been an appropriate candidate for humanitarian protection, and then something changed."

885 is still a significant number of people. It took 19 people to bring down 4 airplanes and kill nearly 3000 people.

The scary thing is we "good guys" have to get it right 100% of the time and the "bad guys" only have to get it right once.

I think we always have to analyze things in the media because they would have us believe everyone coming in is bad or nothing to worry about at all. Usually somewhere in the middle is the truth. When I see the data you posted, at first look it seems like the vetting worked pretty well right? I would ask was it the vetting that worked or is it just that most people coming here were not intending any harm to the US? How many were turned away and not allowed to come? What criteria did they use to determine who was a risk?

If we look at the Sept 11 attack where 19 people were involved and then take the 885 with negative national security information and divide it by 19 (number of 911 attackers) and those 885 people could commit 46 September 11s. Of course this is not likely, but if there are possible risks with that many people, it's hard to say well 1% is good enough for vetting because 1% is still a lot of possible risk.

IMO

 

[Charlot123]

885 is still a significant number of people. It took 19 people to bring down 4 airplanes and kill nearly 3000 people.

The scary thing is we "good guys" have to get it right 100% of the time and the "bad guys" only have to get it right once.

I think we always have to analyze things in the media because they would have us believe everyone coming in is bad or nothing to worry about at all. Usually somewhere in the middle is the truth. When I see the data you posted, at first look it seems like the vetting worked pretty well right? I would ask was it the vetting that worked or is it just that most people coming here were not intending any harm to the US? How many were turned away and not allowed to come? What criteria did they use to determine who was a risk?

If we look at the Sept 11 attack where 19 people were involved and then take the 885 with negative national security information and divide it by 19 (number of 911 attackers) and those 885 people could commit 46 September 11s. Of course this is not likely, but if there are possible risks with that many people, it's hard to say well 1% is good enough for vetting because 1% is still a lot of possible risk.

IMO

There are years of events happening in the world (including Afghanistan with its mujahideens) that led to 9-11 and too many wrong decisions after 9-11 (including the Iraqi invasion) that led to increased radicalization in the world. Everyone is scared of it, but not to forget, poverty and hopelessness cause more radicalization.

Inside this article, there is a famous photo: Afghani women in 1970es as opposed to now.

How Afghan women, covered from head to toe, have lost their last faint voice

The women's rights movement has been all about raising our voice. Because in our voice lies our identity. After making women shapeless in all-covering veils, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has now made it mandatory for women to conceal their voices too. How the ban on women's audio will hit...

www.indiatoday.in

Talibans are parochial, no doubt, but things are not that straightforward:
After 40 years of wars, Afghanistan remains a very poor country. I view economy as the biggest cause for radicalization. Photos after the deadly 2025 August earthquake:

As quake hits Afghanistan, India reaches out to Taliban govt, sends aid

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called up Taliban-led Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and conveyed condolences. Their conversation came weeks after the Taliban leader visited India in early October.

indianexpress.com

 

[justtrish]

Hoping this is okay to share and I'll report it to ask a mod. I just have tears in my eyes reading this update. This woman seems to be in direct contact with the injured soldier's mother and the mother is providing the updates to be posted. They have reduced sedation, and he is responding to commands. If you scroll back on her FB you can see the previous daily updates and his mom is always tagged.

Tammy Morgan Kidwiler

Update on Andy Wolfe from his mom, Melody Wolfe: Daily Update on Andy 💕 So, things are looking good today overall. His arteries are tightening all over though and apparently this is a normal...

www.facebook.com

Update on Andy Wolfe from his mom, Melody Wolfe:
Daily Update on Andy

So, things are looking good today overall. His arteries are tightening all over though and apparently this is a normal reaction in younger people with a trauma. I know im not saying it right but this is the best way i can say it. They’re bringing in the vascular team to assist. Not a setback just watching things. The best news is this though…They’ve taken his sedation way down and are testing him every hour. He was listening to their commands! Gave them a thumbs up, Looking at them directly, wiggling his toes (right and left feet)! So, in my heart, I know my boy is going to be ok

Keep those prayers coming!

 

[georgiajean]

Here is an archived page for Operation Allies Welcome, from fall 2021.

Operation Allies Welcome | Homeland Security

President Biden has directed the DHS to serve as the lead agency coordinating ongoing efforts across the federal government to resettle vulnerable Afghans.

www.dhs.gov

I post this so we can read what was said at the time about how the transition was being handled. There is a lot of information, each heading in the article opens up to a lot more info. It is difficult at this time to determine what is true with what is being said now, but being able to go back to what was said at the time, before the horrific incident this week in DC, helps me get some grounding. What is in this document is quite different than the spin being put on it by current administration. The details, the thorough explanation, the timing. As it was explained at the time it happened, it was not haphazard or done without deep planning. That does not mean mistakes were not made, and possible mistakes in the 4 years since.

Screening and Vetting Prior to Arrival in the United States​

The U.S. government is working around the clock to conduct the security screening and vetting of vulnerable Afghans before they are permitted entry into the United States, consistent with the dual goals of protecting national security and providing protection for our Afghan allies. As with any population entering the United States, DHS, in coordination with interagency vetting partners, takes multiple steps to ensure that those seeking entry do not pose a national security or public safety risk.

DHS deployed approximately 400 personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, United States Coast Guard, and United States Secret Service to Bahrain, Germany, Kuwait, Italy, Qatar, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates to conduct processing, screening, and vetting in coordination with the Departments of Defense (DOD) and State (DOS) and other federal agencies, and to conduct interviews as needed, with the goal of bringing to the United States Afghan nationals who worked for the United States, as well as other vulnerable Afghans.

The rigorous screening and vetting process, which is multi-layered and ongoing, involves biometric and biographic screenings conducted by intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals from DHS and DOD, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), and additional intelligence community partners. This process includes reviewing fingerprints, photos, and other biometric and biographic data for every single Afghan before they are cleared to travel to the United States. As with other arrivals at U.S. ports of entry, Afghan nationals undergo a primary inspection when they arrive at a U.S. airport, and a secondary inspection is conducted as the circumstances require.

 

[Sundog]

Here is an archived page for Operation Allies Welcome, from fall 2021.

Operation Allies Welcome | Homeland Security

President Biden has directed the DHS to serve as the lead agency coordinating ongoing efforts across the federal government to resettle vulnerable Afghans.

www.dhs.gov

I post this so we can read what was said at the time about how the transition was being handled. There is a lot of information, each heading in the article opens up to a lot more info. It is difficult at this time to determine what is true with what is being said now, but being able to go back to what was said at the time, before the horrific incident this week in DC, helps me get some grounding. What is in this document is quite different than the spin being put on it by current administration. The details, the thorough explanation, the timing. As it was explained at the time it happened, it was not haphazard or done without deep planning. That does not mean mistakes were not made, and possible mistakes in the 4 years since.

It's a good planning document, I also posted this document upthread, but what the current administration and Congress have been discussing is the implementation of the planning document, not the spin of the planning document itself.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1995377530405023774

 

[Cryptic]

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that they believe the Afghan shooter was radicalized in the US, local to his Washington state home.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal was unable to hold a job, and would take off on weeks long cross country trips.

It looks like that he was not some how forced to work in a hospital laundry, or denied "meaningful work". Rather, personal choices centered on work discipline can make more advanced positions difficult to obtain.

That aside, I wonder what Noem means by "radicalization"?

No evidence of a manifesto with RL. No social media declaring allegiance to ISIS, Al Queda etc. No "justifications" by RL using the koran. And... apparently no Islamic terror group has claimed him.

I am thinking that, well, in a dark way, RL committed an "American" attack:

I don't like my life for a variety of reasons. I could well have moderate to heavy substance use. No immediate hope for a better future. The fact that I am responsible for my own predicament is ohhh so not relevant to me.

So.... time to rampage. And.... as @Telltale illustrated, the rampage was going to be a little more attention getting getting than shooting it out with police officer in small town USA during a traffic stop.

 

[Elley Mae]

With the second hit from a battering ram, the yellow door in a modest downtown Bellingham apartment complex flew open at about 2:30 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. Roughly a dozen heavily armed FBI and ATF agents stood on the catwalk of the low-income housing property, waiting for a whirling drone to return from inside the home of the suspected D.C. shooter.

Close neighbors of D.C. shooting suspect describe raid, his life in Bellingham | Cascadia Daily News

Couple mourn guard member’s loss; fears for safety of Lakanwal’s children

www.cascadiadaily.com

Snipped

While there are reports of agents removing four or five people from the residence, the Joneses could only confirm two — a man and a woman.

Prior to the news, the Joneses considered the Lakanwals “gold star” neighbors.

Living in low-income housing, the Joneses have had many troubled neighbors: they described seeing drug dealing, mental health breakdowns and domestic violence.

The family moved into Walton Place about a year ago, the Joneses recalled. They moved in fast, with little furniture.

“It wasn’t like your typical American apartment. It wasn’t flush and full of stuff,” Susan said, noting that it reflected their culture, with cushions on the floor.

…

More at link