The nation is mourning the loss of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old member of the West Virginia National Guard, who died on Thursday, November 27, after succumbing to injuries sustained in a shooting attack in Washington, D.C., the day before.
President Donald Trump announced Beckstrom’s passing late Thursday evening, describing her as a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” who was “savagely attacked.” Her death was later confirmed by the District of Columbia National Guard Public Affairs Office.
The second Guardsman injured in the attack, Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Details of the Attack and Investigation
The two National Guard members, both deployed as part of the West Virginia National Guard’s security mission in D.C., were shot in an ambush-style attack on Wednesday. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, stated that the Guardsmen were reportedly sworn in less than 24 hours before the shooting.
The alleged gunman has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 and was granted asylum this year. Lakanwal was reportedly armed with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver.
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The Incident: Pirro described the attack, stating the gunman allegedly opened fire on Wolfe and Beckstrom “without provocation.” After one guardsman was struck and went down, the shooter allegedly “leans over and strikes the guardsman again. Another guardsmen is struck several times.“
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Neutralizing the Threat: Fellow Guardsmen who were nearby responded immediately, engaging the suspect, neutralizing the threat, and subduing him at the scene. Lakanwal was also seriously injured and remains hospitalized under guard.
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Suspect Background: Officials confirmed that Lakanwal previously worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar before the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Investigators are looking into potential motives, with reports suggesting a running theory involves paranoia and other mental health challenges.
Legal Response and Tributes
Following the confirmation of Specialist Beckstrom’s death, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Justice Department will seek the death penalty against Lakanwal. U.S. Attorney Pirro stated that the suspect would be charged with murder in the first degree.
Tributes have poured in for Specialist Beckstrom, who had enlisted in the West Virginia National Guard in June 2023.
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President Trump called her a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” who is “looking down at us right now.”
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War Secretary Pete Hegseth called Beckstrom “an American hero,” asking the nation to “kneel in prayer for her family.”
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FBI Director Kash Patel wrote that she was “a young soldier and patriot with her entire life ahead of her.”
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FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino stated her sacrifice “will never be forgotten,” adding, “We will not rest until we bring the hand of justice to her attacker.”
Specialist Beckstrom’s body was transferred from MedStar Washington Hospital to the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner with an honor escort on Thursday night, honoring her sacrifice.
Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Sarah Beckstrom’s family and loved ones, and to the family of Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe as he continues to fight for his life.
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