One of the two National Guard members wounded in a targeted shooting near the White House on Wednesday, U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, has died, President Donald Trump announced, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to ABC News. Beckstrom, 20, from West Virginia, was described by Trump as a “highly respected, young, magnificent person.” The other Guard member, Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.
The attack occurred around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday near the Farragut West Metro station. According to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the suspected shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, allegedly drove from Washington state to target the Guard members. He reportedly ambushed them with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, shooting both multiple times. Other National Guard personnel responded and helped subdue the suspect after one Guard member fired at him.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey visited the wounded Guardsmen in D.C. hospitals Wednesday night and met with President Trump to discuss the investigation. Morrisey emphasized that both soldiers had volunteered for the mission and praised their commitment to serving the nation’s capital.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the probe is an ongoing terrorism investigation. Authorities searched Lakanwal’s home in Bellingham, Washington, and conducted interviews in multiple locations, including San Diego. Lakanwal, who came to the United States in 2021 and was granted asylum in 2024, previously worked with U.S. government partner forces in Afghanistan, according to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Pirro stated that the suspect will face several charges, including assault with intent to harm and criminal possession of a weapon, although the charges could be updated depending on the status of the wounded Guardsmen. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
President Trump, spending Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago, called the shooting an “act of hatred” and ordered a review of all Afghan immigrants admitted under the Biden administration. He also authorized the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard personnel to Washington, D.C.
The National Guard had been deployed to the capital as part of Trump’s federal takeover and crime reduction efforts. As of the latest update, 2,188 Guard members were stationed in D.C. during the ongoing security operations.
Earlier we wrote that Two National Guard Members Critically Injured in Targeted Shooting Near White House.
