Dec. 2, 2025, 2:10 PM ESTBy Ryan J. Reilly, Gary Grumbach and Doha MadaniWASHINGTON — The man accused of shooting two National Guardsmen, killing one, made a virtual appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Tuesday to face a charge of first-degree murder.Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was also shot during the incident, could be seen on a video feed laying down in a hospital bed. Officials allege that Lakanwal gunned down Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, last week while they were on patrol near the White House as part of the their deployment to the nation’s capital. Lakanwal, 29, is also charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in addition to murder. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. A judged ordered Lakanwal be held without bond.Court documents say that Lakawal yelled “Allahu Akbar!” as he shot the gun, and that he was subdued as he appeared to be reloading.Both the Guardsmen, who were serving in West Virginia’s National Guard, were shot in the head on Wednesday. Beckstrom died from her wounds, President Donald Trump told troops in a Thanksgiving Day call.Wolfe remains in serious condition. But West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Monday that he showed signs of improvement after giving nurses a “thumb’s up” and showed he was able to wiggle his toes. Authorities have not yet identified a motive for the shooting. A relative of Lakanwal said he arrived in the U.S. in September 2021 after having served in the Afghan army for 10 years alongside U.S. Special Forces troops. He was living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children, the relative added.The CIA confirmed that Lakanwal worked for the U.S. government as a member of a partner force in Kandahar. His service ended in 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.