Zero Units: Inside the National Guard Shooting
From Daily Story Brief by Instant Media Access
November 28, 2025 · 34 min · Season 1 · Episode 13
About this episode
The episode discusses a tragic shooting involving National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C. and its implications for immigration and national security.
In this episode of Daily Story Brief, the hosts unpack a tragedy in the heart of Washington, D.C. that spirals from a shocking ambush into a full-blown immigration and national security crisis. Two West Virginia National Guard soldiers are targeted near Farragut Square the day before Thanksgiving, leaving Specialist Sarah Beckstrom dead and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe fighting for his life. The conversation begins with the grim details of the attack and the controversial National Guard deployment they were serving on—a mission a federal judge had just ruled likely illegal before putting the order on hold.From there, the episode digs into the background of the alleged shooter, Ramanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who drove across the country to carry out what the FBI is calling an act of domestic terrorism. The hosts trace his path into the United States through Operation Allies Welcome, his long service in CIA-backed Afghan “Zero Units,” and the serious human rights allegations that surrounded those forces. They examine reporting that suggests Lakanwal was a trusted counterterrorism asset but also someone marked by extreme trauma, loss and moral injury, raising hard questions…
Topics covered
- national security
- immigration
- domestic terrorism
- military
- politics
- crime
Keywords
- National Guard
- shooting
- immigration crisis
- domestic terrorism
- Ramanullah Lakanwal
- CIA
- FBI
- Operation Allies Welcome
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: CIA, FBI
Places: Washington, D.C., West Virginia
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