Judge allows forced feeding of accused National Guard shooter
An Afghan national accused of ambushing two National Guard members while they were patrolling in the nation’s capital last year can be force-fed while in jail, a federal judge said Saturday. The brief order from U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta allows the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide “nonconsensual nutrition and medical treatment” to Rahmanullah...
A man accused of killing a National Guard soldier and critically injuring another near the White House can be forced to eat while in custody, according to an emergency judge's order. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, allegedly ambushed two West Virginia National Guard troops outside a Washington subway station on November 2025. One of the victims, Spc.
Sarah Beckstrom, died as a result of the attack. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta authorized the involuntary feeding and medical treatment for Lakanwal, who stopped eating in July. The order allows federal Bureau of Prisons staff to administer food through intravenous or tube feeding to save Lakanwal's life.
The judge's decision is based on a precedent that prison officials can forcibly feed hunger-striking inmates. The order's expiration date is October 28, but it can be extended.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Judge authorizes involuntary feeding of jailed suspect in deadly National Guard shooting apnews.com
- US judge allows involuntary feeding of jailed suspect in deadly National Guard shooting scmp.com
- Judge authorizes involuntary feeding of jailed suspect in deadly National Guard shooting winnipegfreepress.com
- Judge authorizes involuntary feeding of jailed suspect in deadly National Guard shooting hindustantimes.com
