【By Liu Bai, Observers Network】The investigation into the shooting incident in Washington D.C. is still ongoing. On November 30 local time, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen revealed on a National Broadcasting Company (NBC) program that the suspect who shot a National Guard member in Washington D.C. last week likely developed extreme political views after entering the United States.

"We believe he became radicalized after coming to the United States," Nielsen said. "We are certain it is related to his contacts in the community and the state where he lived. We will continue to question people who have had contact with him."

The shooting incident that occurred near the White House last Wednesday (November 26) resulted in one National Guard member's death and another being seriously injured. After the incident, the Trump administration announced the suspension of all immigration cases for Afghans and all pending asylum applications.

The 29-year-old suspect, Rahmanullah Rakhwani, is an Afghan national who entered the United States in September 2021 after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The suspect who shot two National Guard members is 29-year-old Afghan citizen Rahmanullah Rakhwani, who previously worked for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). IC Photo

The Trump administration accused the Biden administration of inadequate review before allowing the suspect to enter the country. Officials stated that they would re-examine the hundreds of thousands of immigration cases approved during Biden's tenure and conduct background checks on the involved immigrants, with the possibility of revoking their legal residency status.

U.S. prosecutor Jenny Piro stated on the 28th that prosecutors plan to charge Rakhwani with first-degree murder, related to the deceased National Guard member Sarah Bexstrom.

Additionally, he faces extra charges for shooting another guard, Andrew Wolf, who is still receiving treatment in the hospital. The 20-year-old Bexstrom and the 24-year-old Wolf were both from a West Virginia-based unit. President Trump previously declared a "crime emergency" in Washington D.C., and the National Guard has been patrolling there for months.

This shooting incident shocked the entire Washington D.C. John Ratcliffe, Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), revealed that Rakhwani served the U.S. government during the Afghan war, including working for the CIA.

The non-profit organization "Afghan Evacuation Program," which is dedicated to resettling Afghan immigrants, stated that he served in an elite anti-terrorism force under the CIA in Afghanistan. U.S. officials said that Rakhwani obtained U.S. asylum eligibility in April 2025.

It is reported that after living in the U.S. for about four years, Rakhwani drove from his home in Washington State to the capital, Washington D.C. On the 26th, he approached a group of National Guard members near the White House and opened fire with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. After firing several shots, other guards immediately engaged in a firefight with him. The suspect was then taken to a local hospital for treatment.

After the shooting incident, the Trump administration further tightened its immigration policies. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services stated that it would re-examine all green cards for residents from "high-priority countries," although it did not specify the exact countries. On the evening of the 28th, the director of the agency, Joe Edlow, stated that all asylum applications would be suspended until all applicants have passed the highest standard of review and screening.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tracy McLaughlin posted on the social media platform X on the 29th that another Afghan man was arrested in Texas earlier this week for allegedly threatening to blow up a building.

Arrest records from Tarrant County, Texas, show that the man was arrested on the 25th and is currently held at the county correctional center.

Shawn Vandiver, chairman of the "Afghan Evacuation Program," stated that there is currently no evidence indicating a connection between the two cases. He pointed out, "There is no indication of a large-scale coordinated action, joint criminal activity, or factors related to national security in this case. It is just that some people with ulterior motives are trying to politicize what was originally a local case, dragging it into a larger public controversy."

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