WASHINGTON — On the afternoon of November 26, two young members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot in a brazen ambush near the White House — and one remains on the brink of death. The female soldier, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, was struck in what her father described as a “mortal wound,” while her comrade, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, also remains in critical condition.
The shooting unfolded around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday near the Farragut West Metro station, just two blocks northwest of the White House, as the guardsmen carried out high-visibility patrols. According to officials present at a Thursday press briefing, the gunman — identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal — pulled up in a vehicle he had driven across the country from Washington state, then opened fire with a .357-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver. He struck one Guard member — believed to be Beckstrom — then bent over and fired again, before hitting the second.
Other Guard members responded quickly. In the chaotic seconds that followed, they returned fire, wounded the suspect, and subdued him. Lakanwal was hospitalized under heavy guard. His wounds are reportedly not life-threatening.
At a Thursday news conference, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, confirmed the identities of the victims as Beckstrom and Wolfe. Both had been sworn in less than 24 hours before the shooting.
In heartbreaking remarks, Beckstrom’s father told The New York Times, “I’m holding her hand right now. She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery.” Officials say Beckstrom’s injuries are so severe she is not expected to survive.
Authorities said Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021, under the post-Afghanistan war resettlement program for vulnerable Afghans. He applied for asylum in late 2024; that status was granted in April 2025. U.S. intelligence officials say he had previously worked with U.S.-backed forces in Kandahar and may have been part of CIA-supported “partner” units.
The shooting is being investigated as a possible terrorist act. Charges already filed against Lakanwal include multiple counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a violent crime; prosecutors say first-degree murder charges may follow if either of the Guardsmen dies. Meanwhile, federal authorities have raided multiple homes in Washington state and San Diego, seizing electronics and interviewing associates, trying to uncover motive and any links.
As the nation reels, leaders are voicing shock and condemnation. Guardsmen who once volunteered to serve — even on Thanksgiving — are now fighting for their lives, and one family faces the unthinkable grief of potential loss.
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