The Justice Department stated it can seek the death penalty for the man accused of shooting two National Guard members, and killing one of them, close to the White House in November.
The man, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, pleaded not responsible to the 9 expenses towards him — together with first-degree homicide — throughout his preliminary look in federal court docket Wednesday.
When Judge Amit Mehta pressed prosecutors on whether or not they can be pursuing further expenses that will enable them to seek the death penalty for Lakanwal, prosecutors waffled, finally telling the choose they’re pursuing “death-eligible charges.”
According to court docket paperwork, Lakanwal traveled from Washington state to the capital metropolis in late November earlier than he ambushed the 2 officers, shooting them each within the head with a snub-nosed revolver.
Another National Guard member, having heard the pictures, pulled out his service weapon and shot Lakanwal, who fell to the bottom and was shortly detained, court docket data say.
Sarah Beckstrom, one of the National Guard members who was shot within the again of the pinnacle, was pronounced lifeless the following day. The different member, Andrew Wolfe, continues to be in restoration.
Lakanwal labored with the CIA for over a decade in Afghanistan earlier than the US navy withdrew from the nation. He got here to the US in 2021.
According to court docket data, Lakanwal had been given the pistol, which prosecutors say was stolen, by an unnamed particular person after Lakanwal stated he wanted a firearm to shield himself throughout his job driving for Uber and Lyft.
Investigators say that, on the time, Lakanwal had been banned by Uber and had not been employed for round two months earlier than the shooting.
Initially, he wished a firearm that would maintain as a lot as a 30-round journal, court docket paperwork say, and when given the revolver, requested “only five rounds?”
Prosecutors additionally allege that on the identical day that he was given the stolen firearm, Lakanwal went to a sporting items retailer and bought a field of bullets. Two hours later he allegedly searched “Washington, DC” in Google maps and, the following day, searched for the handle of the White House.
Ten days later he allegedly shot the 2 National Guards members two blocks from the White House.
His subsequent listening to within the case is scheduled for early May.