Military Attack Accused Spent Weeks Isolated in Bedroom, Social Worker's Message Said.

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The man alleged to have carried out shooting two military personnel in Washington DC last week had according to accounts spent weeks at a time alone in a dark room and suffered from "periods of mania," as per notes documented in 2024 by a support worker who assisted the individual's family.

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

Authorities stated the 29-year-old entered the US in 2021 under a programme for individuals from Afghanistan who had assisted US forces in Afghanistan.

Emerging Information on Psychological State

Based on emails from last year, Mr. Lakanwal struggled with his psychological well-being.

In a separate message sent on January 31st of last year, the case worker said Mr. Lakanwal "passes most of his time for consecutive weeks in his blacked-out bedroom, refusing to talk to a soul, not even his spouse and children."

The individual, who was not a clinician, also added Mr. Lakanwal had "manic episodes for a week or two at a time where he would take off in the family car." They also mentioned he had periods in which he would try to "apologize and reconcile."

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Background and Recent Events

Mr. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, entered the US via the Biden-era resettlement program. This was in the wake after the disorderly US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He sought asylum in 2024, and his application was approved recently.

He resided with his wife and five children in Bellingham, Washington.

"Aid group workers are trying to patch things for that family - but I think the father has psychological problems that are not addressed, and he won't talk to anyone," a section of an previous communication states.

Last week, a longtime acquaintance told a publication that Mr. Lakanwal had dealt with mental health issues after his service with his unit in Afghanistan.

Mr. Lakanwal had allegedly been a member of a "Zero Unit" - an local intelligence and paramilitary force that collaborated with a US intelligence agency.

Government Response and Legal Proceedings

In the days after the shooting in the capital, the President pledged to "halt immigration" from certain countries.

The government has halted all refugee claims "until we can ensure that every individual is thoroughly investigated to the maximum degree possible," a director said.

Mr. Lakanwal, who was injured during the incident and is still hospitalized, is facing homicide accusations.