A man who attended the hearing via video call from the hospital faces charges of first-degree murder after 20-year-old soldier Sarah Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries. The second sergeant who was shot remains in critical condition.
The man accused of shooting two National Guardsmen in Washington pleaded not guilty Tuesday. He faces charges of first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and armed assault with intent to kill. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AP agency.
- The man who shot the National Guard has pleaded not guilty.
- He faces serious charges, including first degree murder.
- The incident left one dead and one critically injured.
- The suspect is a former soldier in the CIA-backed Afghan army.
The suspect, 29-year-old Afghan immigrant Ramhanullah Lakanwal, appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday via video call from his hospital bed. He was shot during the incident and is now hospitalized. His attorney said he pleads not guilty to the charges in the Nov. 26 shooting.
One female soldier died, the sergeant is in critical condition
Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old soldier who was shot, succumbed to her injuries the next day. The office of U.S. Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, announced Friday that the charges have been expanded to first-degree murder.
The second person shot is 24-year-old Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, and his condition remains critical. Further information about the possible motive for the attack is not known.
Acquaintances of the detained shooter claim that he served in an Afghan army unit supported by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and immigrated to the United States in September 2021. Federal prosecutors said it was part of Operation Allies Welcome. The aim was to help Afghans who cooperated with the Americans when the Taliban militant movement regained power in the country in 2021.
