Rahmanullah Lakanwal hospitalized after refusing food and water in prison

Key Points:

• Rahmanullah Lakanwal, accused of killing a National Guard member and shooting others near the White House last year, has been transferred from prison to a hospital after refusing to eat or drink, raising concerns about his health.
• Federal prosecutors and the U.S. Marshals Service warned that Lakanwal's refusal to consume adequate nutrition put him at risk of long-term health issues and potential death, prompting emergency court action.
• Lakanwal, 30, faces 17 charges including first-degree murder for the November attack that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and severely wounded Guardsman Andrew Wolfe; he pleaded not guilty in June 2026.
• A judge ruled that prosecutors must have access to Lakanwal's medical records and treatment providers during his hospitalization, overriding a previous protective order.
• The attack involved Lakanwal driving from Washington state to D.C. with a stolen firearm, shooting Beckstrom and Wolfe in the head; Beckstrom died on Thanksgiving, and both victims received posthumous honors including Purple Hearts.