By Jackson Richman
Contributing Writer
WASHINGTON — The man accused of shooting two National Guard members pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.
A lawyer for Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, entered the plea during a virtual court appearance. Lakanwal appeared from a hospital bed.
Lakanwal is accused of killing Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and wounding Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, near the White House on Nov. 26.
Lakanwal, who came to the nation’s capital from Washington state, was ordered to be held without bond.
“No condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community,” said D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond.
“It is fairly clear that he came across the country, 3,000 miles, armed, with a specific purpose in mind,” she added.
Lakanwal has been charged with first-degree murder, three counts of assault with the intent to kill while armed, and criminal possession of a weapon. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14.
“There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”
The Trump administration has called the incident an act of terrorism, and Attorney General Pam Bondi said that prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that Lakanwal had worked with the CIA to hunt down members of the Taliban.
“We believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country,” she said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “We do believe it was through connections in his home community and state. … Anyone who has information on this needs to know that we will be coming after you, and we will bring you to justice.”
Noem told ABC News that the Biden administration brought Lakanwal to the United States “and then maybe vetted after that, but not done well based on what the guidelines were put forward by President [Joe] Biden.”
During a Tuesday Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump said he wanted “to pay my deepest respects” to the families of Beckstrom and Wolfe. Trump said he spoke to the parents of both guard members. Wolfe’s mother said her son will survive.
“No doctor thought that,” Trump said, adding, “It would be a miracle.”
Both victims were from the West Virginia National Guard.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a Friday statement: “These two West Virginia heroes were serving our country and protecting our nation’s capital when they were maliciously attacked. Their courage and commitment to duty represent the very best of our state.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
