Chilling moment revolver-wielding Afghan national ambushes troops in Washington DC

Rahmullah Lakanwal, 29, is accused of shooting the troops whilst they were on patrol close to the White House on Wednesday, leaving them both in a critical condition.

Witnesses took a video of the alleged shooter, dressed in a black puffer coat with a gun in his hand, chasing the pair on corner of 17th and I Streets near the Farragut West metro station, before a gunfight ensued.

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Another male guard can be seen running down the street and appearing to try and reload his weapon.

Five shots can be heard in the video, before two Guardsmen, in their camouflage fatigues are seen lying on the ground.

Sarah Beckstrom, 20, has since died from her injuries, while Andrew Wolfe, 24, is now "fighting for his life", Donald Trump announced on Thursday night.

Lakanwal, a former special forces commander from Afghanistan who worked with the CIA, came to the US in 2021 under a Biden-era resettlement programme for Afghans fleeing the Taliban takeover.

Authorities say the victims had only been sworn in to guard the US streets less than 24 hours before the attack, on the eve of Thanksgiving.

Ms Beckstrom, who volunteered to work on the holiday, was called a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” by Mr Trump.

He added: "She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her. It’s just happened. She was savagely attacked."

The president added that Mr Wolfe was in “very bad shape” and “fighting for his life” after undergoing surgery on Wednesday.

The shooting comes amid the increased presence of national guard troops across Washington, which has been in place since August after the Trump administration declared a "crime emergency".

Following the shooting, Trump ordered for 500 additional troops to join the 2,375 already stationed in Washington.

Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, suggested Lakanwal would face the death penalty.

He has been charged with assault with intent to kill and faced up to 15 years in prison, but this could now be upgraded to murder in the first degree following Ms Beckstrom's death.

Jeanine Pirro, the US Attorney for DC, said Lakanwal drove thousands of miles from his home in Bellingham, Washington state, to carry out the alleged attack.

The suspect, who lived with his wife and five children, was taken to hospital with minor injuries after the shooting and is currently under heavy guard.

On Thursday, the FBI searched multiple properties, including a home in Washington state, linked to Lakanwal and seized a number of electronic devices - including phones, laptops and iPads.

His relatives were also interviewed by the authorities.