Investigators are releasing new details about a brazen daytime shooting in Washington, D.C., that has now claimed the life of one West Virginia National Guard soldier and left another hospitalized in critical condition. Officials say the attack—carried out just after 2:15 p.m. Wednesday only blocks from the White House—was executed by a gunman who traveled across the country to launch what authorities describe as an “ambush-style” assault.
The shooting occurred amid ongoing controversy over the deployment of out-of-state National Guard troops to Washington. While investigators had previously indicated that the two Guard members were specifically targeted, they have not announced a motive. The attack, captured on video, has added new urgency and political tension to an already heated debate over security and federal authority in the nation’s capital.
Victims Identified
Authorities identified the victims as Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24. Wolfe remains in critical condition. Few details have been released about the nature of their injuries, though earlier reports stated that at least one victim was struck in the head.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially announced that both soldiers had died but later walked back that statement, saying he had received “conflicting reports” and did not know their conditions.
Beckstrom and Wolfe were part of the West Virginia contingent deployed earlier this year at the direction of President Donald Trump, who cited what he described as rampant crime in Washington. At the peak of the mission, roughly 300 Guard members were in the city; that number had been reduced to about 160 before Wednesday’s shooting. After the attack, Trump requested an additional 500 troops, saying the increase would “stiffen our resolve.” In total, approximately 2,000 Guard members from six states have been deployed to Washington.
Late Thursday, officials confirmed that Beckstrom had died from her injuries, hours after Trump first delivered the news during a virtual Thanksgiving address to service members. Calling her a “highly respected, young, magnificent person,” he said she was “savagely attacked,” adding, “She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her. It’s just happened.”
Her death was later formally confirmed by the D.C. National Guard Public Affairs Office.
Maj. Gen. Jim Seward, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, expressed condolences, saying, “On behalf of Governor Patrick Morrisey and the entire West Virginia National Guard, I extend my deepest condolences to Spc. Beckstrom’s family, friends, and fellow Guardsmen. We grieve alongside them and honor her memory by carrying forward her commitment to service, integrity, and excellence.”
Suspect Traveled Across Country
Authorities have identified the alleged shooter as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who had been living in Washington state with his wife and five children. Investigators say Lakanwal traveled from Washington state to the capital before carrying out the attack.
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program that resettled Afghans who assisted U.S. forces during the war. While in Afghanistan, he worked with U.S. government entities, including the CIA. CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed he had been “a member of a partner force in Kandahar” and said Lakanwal’s role “ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation” of U.S. troops.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced that Lakanwal faces charges including assault while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, with possible upgrades depending on Wolfe’s condition. “We are praying that they survive and that the highest charge will not have to be murder in the first degree,” she said. “But make no mistake, if they do not, that will certainly be the charge.”
Lakanwal himself was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following the confrontation.
Attack Caught on Video
Pirro described the attack as an “ambush-style” shooting carried out with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. Surveillance footage shows the gunman rounding a corner and immediately opening fire on the two Guard members. One soldier returned fire, and while investigators have not confirmed whether that shot struck Lakanwal, troops and police quickly subdued him before taking him into custody.
FBI Director Kash Patel said agents began working the case within minutes. “We immediately, with our law enforcement partners in the Metropolitan Police Department and the interagency, secured the scene, seized the weapon, sent in our Evidence Response Team immediately to collect evidence and started doing block-by-block canvases,” he said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Legal and Political Fallout
The shooting comes as a federal court weighs the legality of the administration’s deployment. Last week, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb moved to block the Trump administration from deploying additional National Guard troops to the District, though she put her ruling on hold until December 11. The administration has appealed.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump asked him Wednesday to send more troops to Washington in response to the attack.
The White House condemned the shooting and blamed the Biden administration for admitting Lakanwal under Operation Allies Welcome, though Reuters reported he was granted asylum earlier this year by the Trump administration.
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