Accused shooter in National Guard ambush hospitalized after ‘self-inflicted’ health decline
Accused Shooter in National Guard Ambush Hospitalized Following Health Decline
Accused shooter in National Guard ambush - Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the accused shooter in National Guard ambush charges, has been admitted to a hospital after refusing food for an extended period while in custody. Federal court filings from Thursday show the Justice Department requested limited access to the defendant's medical records after he received urgent treatment. The Afghan national faces multiple counts related to the deadly November attack on two service members in Washington, D.C.
Medical Emergency Triggers Court Intervention
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Ballantine told District Judge Amit Mehta that U.S. Marshals raised concerns last month about Lakanwal's deteriorating condition. The marshals noticed the defendant was not eating enough over time, causing visible physical changes that could lead to serious health problems. According to Ballantine, the government learned that his prolonged refusal to consume adequate nutrition created risks including potential death.
"Based on his refusal to consume adequate nutrition for an extended period and the resulting physical and physiological changes that put him at risk for long-term health consequences," Ballantine explained to the court.
During Thursday's emergency hearing, Judge Mehta described the defendant's health as having "deteriorated quite substantially." The judge noted the decline appeared "in some sense self-inflicted" because Lakanwal consistently refused to eat and occasionally rejected water as well, The Washington Post reported.
Judge Approves Medical Record Review
The court granted prosecutors permission to examine Lakanwal's medical documentation from the past twenty-four hours through his entire hospitalization. This authorization covers both treatment information and diagnostic results concerning his condition.
November Attack Details
The accused shooter in National Guard operations faces accusations of killing U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and wounding U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. Both victims were members of the West Virginia National Guard when they met the attacker near the Farragut North Metro Station last November.
Beckstrom, aged twenty at the time, died from her injuries on Thanksgiving Day. Wolfe remains in recovery. His mother posted on Facebook in mid-March that her son would soon receive skull reconstructive surgery, adding that he was "doing well" during his healing process.
Legal Proceedings Continue
Prosecutors presented evidence that Lakanwal traveled from Washington state to Washington, D.C. before the shooting. Officials described the assault as a "targeted" attack rather than a random event.
Before police could capture him, National Guard personnel nearby shot and subdued Lakanwal. During his June court appearance, the defendant entered the courtroom in a wheelchair, showing his continued medical needs.
At that hearing, Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to nine additional charges in a superseding indictment. These new accusations bring his total charges to seventeen. While some charges allow for the death penalty, prosecutors have not yet decided whether to pursue capital punishment.
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