National Guard shooting suspect shouted 'Allahu Akbar,' was struck by return fire and subdued by witness: feds

The Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., yelled "Allahu akbar!" during the attack before he was struck with return fire and subdued by a witness, federal prosecutors said.

The details emerged as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, made his first court appearance in Superior Court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. He appeared remotely from a hospital bed. 

Lakanwal's attorney said his client pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault with intent to kill, one count of murder and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

In court documents, prosecutors said Lakanwal, of Bellingham, Washington, drove across the U.S. to Washington, D.C., while in possession of a .357-caliber revolver, according to Beckstrom, 20, was killed. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Department of Justice intends to seek the death penalty.

Lakanwal had legally entered the U.S. in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden administration’s Afghan evacuation and resettlement program. 

Fox News' Stephen Sorace, Jake Gibson, Jasmine Baehr, David Spunt, William Mears and Greg Wehner, along with The Associated Press, contributed to this report.