The father of a Marine killed in the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing has sharply criticized the prior administration after an Afghan national allegedly ambushed two members of the West Virginia National Guard in Washington, D.C.
The gunman, identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal — who reportedly entered the U.S. through the post-Afghanistan-withdrawal resettlement program — is accused of targeting the soldiers near the White House. One Guard member was killed, and the other was critically wounded.
In a pointed statement the father said poor vetting and rushed refugee resettlement under the previous administration created the conditions for this attack, expressing outrage over what he called a “feckless” approach to national security that risked American lives.
The shooting has reignited national debate over immigration, resettlement policies, and the trustworthiness of individuals admitted after the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.