Rahmanullah Lakanwal may have been radicalized after he left Afghanistan, Noem told NBC News .
We believe he was radicalized after he came here. We believe it was through the community and the state where he lives.
However, Noem does not want to go into any possible motives for the shooting.
Lakanwal came to the United States after U.S. forces left Afghanistan in 2021 and was granted asylum earlier this year. He previously served in Afghanistan's U.S.-backed army for a decade, relatives and government sources told NBC News.
One of the soldiers shot, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, died last week. The other soldier is being treated in hospital with serious injuries.
As a result of the shooting, the US government has put a pause on all asylum decisions in the country.
