Military Attack Accused Was Isolated for Weeks Alone in Room, Social Worker's Email Indicated.

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The individual accused of shooting two military personnel in the nation's capital last week had according to accounts passed weeks at a time in solitude in a dark room and suffered from "manic episodes," according to notes documented in 2024 by a case worker that helped the suspect's family.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal is accused of carrying out an "ambush" that took the life of Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and seriously injured Andrew Wolf, 24.

Officials said the man in his late twenties entered the US in 2021 as part of a initiative for Afghans who had worked with US forces in Afghanistan.

Emerging Information on Psychological State

According to emails from last year, Mr. Lakanwal struggled with his mental health.

In a different message dated on 31 January 2024, the worker said Mr. Lakanwal "spends most of his time for consecutive weeks in his darkened room, not speaking to anyone, not even his wife and older kids."

The case worker, who was not a mental health professional, also said Mr. Lakanwal had "manic episodes for one or two weeks at a time where he would drive away in the family car." They also described he had times in which he would try to "make amends."

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History and Current Events

Mr. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, entered the US via the recent resettlement program. This was during the period after the chaotic US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He applied for asylum in 2024, and his request was granted earlier this year.

He lived with his family in a city in Washington state.

"World Relief volunteers are trying to patch things for that family - but I think the father has psychological problems that are not addressed, and he refuses to speak with anybody," a section of an earlier email states.

Last week, a childhood friend told a publication that Mr. Lakanwal had experienced mental health issues after his work with his team in Afghanistan.

Mr. Lakanwal had allegedly been a part of a "special unit" - an Afghan intelligence and paramilitary force that worked with a American spy agency.

Government Reaction and Charges

In the aftermath of the shooting in Washington DC, the administration vowed to "permanently pause immigration" from certain countries.

The government has paused all refugee claims "until we can ensure that every individual is thoroughly investigated to the fullest extent," a senior official said.

Mr. Lakanwal, who was shot during the incident and is still hospitalized, faces homicide accusations.