SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
We know more today about the man accused of shooting two members of the National Guard in downtown Washington, D.C. His name is Rahmanuallah Lakanwal. He's 29. He is Afghan, and he worked with U.S. forces, including the CIA in Afghanistan, before coming to the U.S. Federal officials say part of the international terror investigation - that's how they're framing it - now underway, will focus on that history. Trump administration officials are also claiming that Lakanwal was not properly vetted before entering the U.S. NPR's Brian Mann is following developments. Hi, Brian.
BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: Hi there, Scott.
DETROW: Let's start with the two National Guard soldiers injured in this attack. How are they doing?
MANN: Federal officials are telling us that 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe have undergone surgery. They remain in critical condition. Family members from West Virginia are with them at the hospital. The U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, spoke at a press conference this morning.
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JEANINE PIRRO: Two families are shattered and destroyed and torn apart as a result of the actions of one man.
MANN: And Scott, Washington, D.C.'s mayor, Muriel Bowser, also spoke today. She's been a critic of this National Guard deployment in her city, but she described yesterday's shooting as an attack on America. And referring to these wounded soldiers, Bowser said, these young people should be at home with their families in West Virginia.
DETROW: We are learning more about the alleged shooter. What do we know about his background and possible motive?
MANN: Yeah. Officials say Lakanwal allegedly drove across the United States from his home in Washington state to carry out what's being called a targeted attack. He used a handgun. Pirro said he'll be charged with terrorism, and she will seek the death penalty if either soldier dies. She said it's too early, Scott, to say what the motive might have been here. Officials have confirmed Lakanwal worked closely with U.S. military in Afghanistan. A nonprofit group called AfghanEvac says he was part of an elite counterterrorism unit. And FBI director, Kash Patel, said today, that part of Lakanwal's history will be a major focus of this investigation that's now underway.
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KASH PATEL: We are fully investigating that aspect of his background, as well, to include any known associates that are either overseas or here in the United States of America.
MANN: Now, during that press conference, Patel also said Lakanwal was not properly vetted before entering the U.S. He blamed the Biden administration, saying Biden's team failed - and I'm quoting here - failed to vet any way - in any way, shape or form, this individual and countless others.
DETROW: Brian, what do we know about that vetting process, though?
MANN: Yeah. What NPR has been able to learn so far is that it appears Lakanwal would have been vetted by the CIA and other U.S. forces inside Afghanistan. There was also a process for scrutinizing Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. after the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban takeover. There were audits, including one conducted by the FBI this year, that did find flaws with this process. It wasn't perfect, but these refugees were definitely vetted. The FBI's report released in June described their role in the process as effective and appropriate. Lakanwal entered the U.S. in 2021 and was just granted asylum status in April of this year under the Trump administration. Given all that, Shawn VanDiver, who's a Navy veteran - he leads the group AfghanEvac who helps refugees. He says he's skeptical of this Trump administration statement that Lakanwal wasn't properly vetted.
SHAWN VANDIVER: Correct. We don't know yet. And look, if there was a vetting failure, then we got to fix it, but you can't paint with a broad brush this entire community, right? The vast, vast, vast, vast, vast majority of Afghans who have come here are just good, upstanding citizens.
MANN: But for now, Scott, the Trump administration is making this immigration issue a major focus. They've suspended all refugee and asylum applications for Afghan nationals. That could affect tens of thousands of people. Officials also say Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. under the Biden-era refugee program - they're now going to face additional scrutiny.
DETROW: That is NPR's Brian Mann. Thank you so much.
MANN: Thanks, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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