U.S. National Guard shooting suspect enters plea in 1st court appearance

A man accused of shooting two National Guard troops near the White House pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to first-degree murder and assault charges.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who was also shot, made his initial court appearance by video from a hospital bed.

His attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf on the charges stemming from the Nov. 26 shooting that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and wounded Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24.

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Beckstrom and Wolfe were deployed with the West Virginia National Guard for Trump’s law-enforcement surge in the nation’s capital, which has flooded the city with federal agents and troops since August.

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U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office in Washington, D.C., charged him with murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.

Authorities were investigating a possible motive for what they described as an ambush-style attack.

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