Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the man accused of shooting two National Guard troops near a Washington, D.C., Metro station last year, has been hospitalized after refusing to eat in jail.
At an emergency hearing Thursday, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta said Lakanwal was admitted to George Washington University Hospital after “refusing food and, in some cases, water,” according to The Washington Post. His health “has deteriorated quite substantially and he is in dire circumstances,” Mehta added.
Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, is accused of ambushing a group of National Guard troops near the Farragut West Metro station, which sits just blocks from the White House. Prosecutors say he fatally shot Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and seriously wounded Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who was 24 at the time.
Lakanwal was charged in a 17-count superseding indictment announced last month by the Justice Department.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
