Did Rahmanullah Lakanwal know Sarah Beckstrom? Here's why online sleuths think so

The tragic incident of the shooting of two National Guard members near the White House on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, has sparked heartbreak and a fierce online outcry.

Social media was flooded with speculative theories soon after the attack, with claims that the suspect—29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal—was more than just an asylum seeker driven by violence.

Online sleuths began framing him as a CIA asset, pointing to his past in a CIA-backed Afghan paramilitary group.

While others endorsed a more sinister theory that he or someone connected to him had searched for victim Sarah Beckstrom online days before the attack.

While none of these theories have been proven, the speed at which they gained traction online spotlights how easily a vulnerable situation can turn into rumor.

One basis for these speculative theories is the confirmed detail—stated by government officials—that suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal worked with a partner force in Afghanistan.

And that unit was part of a larger network that worked alongside American intelligence during the long war.

This is why, when the information came to light, social media sleuths seized on it.

Netizens framed it in a dramatic way, with one writing, ”Rahmanullah Lakanwal worked with the CIA. You can’t make this up.”

This fuels a tiny, confirmed piece of information into a much bigger speculative theory.

After that, a separate viral trend emerged, centered on a peculiar claim: someone linked to him had searched for victim Sarah Beckstrom online prior to the attack.

As evidence, online sleuths pointed to spikes in search activity in regions such as Washington and Israel.

These spikes were based on Google Trends, which measures relative popularity, not absolute volume.

This means a handful of searches can be magnified to look like a major trend.

One such user posted on X, writing, "She was googled in Israel. BEFORE THIS SHOOTING. The name of Sarah Beckstrom, the National Guard Member murdered by an Afghan CIA asset in DC, was googled by someone IN ISRAEL DAYS BEFORE the shooting.”

The post went viral and so far has garnered over 4 million views.

According to experts, such search patterns are typical for uncommon names or emerging stories.

While there is no verified proof that anyone connected to Lakanwal searched for or targeted Beckstrom, online sleuths continued pushing the theory, as it adds a layer of mystery and imposes a grander narrative onto the tragedy than the cold facts support.