A deadly shooting in Washington, DC, has killed one National Guard member, while another remains critically injured. Authorities are investigating the tragic incident on a large scale.
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that one of the two West Virginia National Guard members shot in downtown Washington has died. Twenty-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries, while a second soldier, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition and is described as
“fighting for his life”
The attack has quickly escalated from a local shooting to a national security flashpoint, shaping both law-enforcement and immigration policy debates in Washington.
Close-Range Attack Near Farragut Square
The two guardsmen were shot at close range near Farragut Square in downtown DC shortly after 14:00 EST (19:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Police quickly arrested a suspect, identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, in connection with the ambush-style shooting.
On Friday, the US attorney for Washington-DC, announced that, following Beckstrom’s death initial assault charges would be upgraded to:
“murder in the first degree”
Premeditation Alleged, Charges Upgraded
Officials have characterized the shooting as a deliberate, targeted attack on uniformed personnel. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro told Fox & Friends, explaining why prosecutors are pursuing a first-degree murder charge because:
“It is a premeditated murder. There was an ambush with a gun toward people who didn’t know what was coming.”
The suspect now faces multiple counts, including one charge of first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
Deployed to DC Amid Crime Crackdowns
Beckstrom and Wolfe are members of the West Virginia National Guard, deployed to the nation’s capital as part of the Trump administration’s broader initiative to combat what it describes as rampant crime in several US cities. Their presence in Washington formed part of a wider security surge around federal and downtown corridors.
Trump confirmed Beckstrom’s death during a Thanksgiving call with US service members, calling her a:
“Highly respected, young, magnificent person”
Family of Andrew Wolfe Calls for Prayer
Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition as his family and community rally around him. Representative of West Virginia, Riley Moore said Wolfe’s family is:
“Committed to service”
Moore said that Wolfe’s father serves as a deputy sheriff and that Wolfe had followed that path into the National Guard and described Wolfe as:
“a fighter”
Moore, emphasizing the strong belief in the power of prayer, also said the family’s primary request is for people to
“Continue to pray.”
Victim Remembered for ‘Heart of Gold‘
Beckstrom, 20, from West Virginia, aspiring to a future in federal law enforcement, has been remembered by those who knew her as having a:
“Heart of gold”
According to the West Virginia National Guard, she enlisted in 2023 and served as a military police soldier with the 863rd Military Police Company. Her death has prompted tributes from state and national officials, who have highlighted both her service and her potential.
Shooter’s Immigration History Under Scrutiny
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the US following the withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 under the resettlement initiative of:
“Operation Allies Welcome”
Officials have said he arrived in the country roughly a month after the US pullout, part of a larger wave of Afghan nationals evacuated after working with or alongside US forces.
His immigration background and vetting process are now under detailed review by federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump Orders Sweeping Immigration Restrictions
The attack has triggered a rapid and far-reaching policy response from the Trump administration. Officials announced they would suspend processing of all immigration applications from Afghan nationals and re-examine green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries designated as:
“of concern”
When asked which countries were covered, authorities pointed to a June White House proclamation listing nations including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela.
Escalation to ‘Third World’ Migration Ban Rhetoric
On Thursday, President Trump further vowed to
“permanently pause migration to the US from all third-world countries”
President Trump, as of now, has not provided a detailed plan or specified which nations might be included. The statement has intensified an already heated debate over the balance between national security, refugee resettlement, and America’s obligations to former partners overseas.
Critics warn such sweeping measures risk unfairly penalizing tens of thousands of vetted refugees and green card holders for the alleged actions of a single individual.
Calls for Re-Vetting Afghan Arrivals
Rep. Riley Moore argued that the suspect:
“Should have never been here”
Moore, pointing to the scale and speed of Afghan resettlement following the 2021 withdrawal, said:
“We had over 80,000 Afghan nationals piled into the United States, we don’t know these people. We don’t know who they are”
Moore, in this regard, expresses support for re-vetting those admitted under Operation Allies Welcome. Supporters of the resettlement program counter that many of those arrivals risked their lives to assist US troops and already underwent multiple layers of security screening.
Policy, Security and Community Fallout
This case now sits at the intersection of public safety, counterterrorism concerns, and immigration policy. While the Justice Department moves forward with a capital-eligible prosecution, Attorney General Pam Bondi has said prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
Immigrant and refugee communities fear broad-brush measures that conflate one violent act with an entire population. As the legal process unfolds, one thing is already clear that the deaths and injuries in Farragut Square are reshaping the conversation about who is allowed into the United States, and under what terms and conditions.
