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

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The man alleged to have carried out shooting two National Guard members in the nation's capital last week had reportedly spent extended periods alone in a dimly lit room and experienced "periods of mania," as per notes written in 2024 by a case worker that helped the individual's family.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal is charged with carrying out an "ambush" that killed 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 American troops in Afghanistan.

Emerging Details on Mental Health

Based on electronic correspondence from last year, Mr. Lakanwal faced challenges with his psychological well-being.

In a different email sent on 31 January 2024, the worker noted Mr. Lakanwal "passes most of his time for consecutive weeks in his blacked-out room, refusing to talk to anyone, not even his wife and older kids."

The individual, who was not a clinician, also said Mr. Lakanwal had "hyperactive periods for one or two weeks at a time where he would take off in the family car." They also described he had periods in which he would try to "make amends."

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History and Recent Developments

Mr. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, entered the US as part of the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome. This was in the wake after the chaotic US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

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

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

"Aid group volunteers are attempting to assist for that family - but I think the father has mental health issues that are not addressed, and he refuses to speak with anyone," one part of an previous email states.

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

Mr. Lakanwal had allegedly been a member of a "special unit" - an local intelligence and militia that collaborated with a American spy agency.

Government Response and Charges

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

The government has halted all asylum decisions "until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the fullest extent," a director said.

Mr. Lakanwal, who was injured during the incident and remains in hospital, is facing murder charges.