A West Virginia National Guard member has died following a shooting near the White House on Wednesday.
Officials have identified the victim as 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, who sustained critical injuries during what authorities are describing as an ambush-style attack in downtown Washington, D.C.
Former President Donald Trump publicly confirmed her death, stating he was notified moments before addressing the public.
“I was informed that Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen involved in this horrific attack — a highly respected and remarkable young woman who began her service in June of 2023 — has passed away. She is no longer with us, but she is looking down on us now,” Trump said.
The second victim, identified as 24-year-old Specialist Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition and is reported to be “fighting for his life.”
Both soldiers had been sworn into active duty less than 24 hours before the shooting occurred. Beckstrom was from Webster Springs, and Wolfe is from Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Multiple federal law enforcement agencies have confirmed that the alleged shooter is 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the United States on September 8, 2021, under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, which assisted Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Multiple federal law enforcement agencies have confirmed that the alleged shooter is 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the United States on September 8, 2021, under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, which assisted Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
He later resettled in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children.
Investigators state that Lakanwal previously served in the Afghan Special Forces and fought alongside U.S. forces against the Taliban.
He reportedly applied for asylum in 2024, and the application was approved earlier this year. However, officials now report that his legal permission to remain in the United States expired in September 2025, leaving him in the country without lawful status at the time of the incident.
Several sources have indicated that Lakanwal may have shouted a phrase in a foreign language during the attack.
Federal agencies have not yet confirmed whether this was motivated by terrorism, though the FBI has opened a counterterrorism investigation.
The shooting occurred near the Farragut Metro Station, only blocks from the White House. Approximately 10–15 rounds were fired.
Officials describe the attack as intentional and targeted. The incident escalated into a gunfight, and the suspect was shot multiple times before being taken into custody.
Lakanwal is hospitalized and has reportedly refused to cooperate with investigators.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey issued a statement expressing deep sorrow, noting earlier confusion over the victims’ conditions due to conflicting emergency reports.
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