Judge authorizes involuntary feeding of jailed suspect in deadly National Guard shooting

A U.S. District Judge has authorized the involuntary feeding of an accused suspect in the deadly National Guard shooting near the White House. According to prosecutors, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the man accused of killing one guard and critically injuring another, can be fed against his will under an emergency order. Judge Amit Mehta approved the nonconsensual nutrition and medical treatment for Lakanwal, who has been hospitalized since he stopped eating in July.

The Bureau of Prisons medical staff can administer the feeding through intravenous or medical tube methods to save his life. While the specific reason for Lakanwal's refusal to eat is not specified in redacted court filings, prosecutors cited past court rulings allowing involuntary feeding of "hunger-striking prisoners." Lakanwal, an Afghan national residing in Bellingham, Washington, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges in the November 2025 shooting.

The incident occurred as part of President Trump's law-enforcement surge in Washington, D.C., a few months after the city's deployment in the summer of 2025.