Military Attack Accused Spent Weeks Alone in Room, Social Worker's Email Said.
Image Source
The individual alleged to have carried out firing upon two National Guard members in Washington DC recently 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 suspect's family.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal is accused of carrying out an "surprise attack" that took the life of Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and seriously injured Andrew Wolf, 24.
Authorities said the 29-year-old entered the US in 2021 as part of a programme for Afghans who had assisted American troops in Afghanistan.
Revealed Details on Mental Health
According to emails from last year, Mr. Lakanwal struggled with his mental health.
In a separate email dated on 31 January 2024, the case worker noted Mr. Lakanwal "spends the majority of his days for weeks on end in his blacked-out room, refusing to talk to anyone, including his spouse and children."
The case worker, who was not a mental health professional, also said Mr. Lakanwal had "manic episodes for one or two weeks at a time where he would drive away in the family car." They also described he had periods in which he would try to "make amends."
Image Source
Background and Current Developments
Mr. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, came to the US as part of the Biden-era resettlement program. This was during the period after the disorderly US military exit from Afghanistan.
He sought asylum in 2024, and his request was granted recently.
He resided with his family in a city in Washington state.
"World Relief workers are trying to patch things for that family - but I think the father has psychological problems that are not addressed, and he refuses to speak with anybody," one part of an earlier email reads.
Last week, a longtime acquaintance informed a newspaper that Mr. Lakanwal had dealt with mental health issues after his service with his team in Afghanistan.
Mr. Lakanwal had allegedly been a member of a "Zero Unit" - an local intelligence and paramilitary force that collaborated with a American spy agency.
Government Response and Legal Proceedings
In the days after the shooting in the capital, the President vowed to "halt migration" from certain countries.
The government has halted all asylum decisions "to guarantee that every individual is thoroughly investigated to the fullest extent," a director stated.
Mr. Lakanwal, who was injured in the event and remains in hospital, faces murder charges.
