Trump Announces Death of Sarah Beckstrom, 20
A U.S. National Guard soldier shot in a targeted attack near the White House has died, while a second guardsman remains in critical condition, President Donald Trump announced during his Thanksgiving call to troops.
Sarah Beckstrom, 20, from Webster Springs, West Virginia, succumbed to her wounds after Wednesday’s shooting. Trump described her as a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” during his first live remarks since the incident.
The second soldier, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, is “fighting for his life,” according to the president. Both soldiers were members of the West Virginia National Guard deployed to Washington as part of Trump’s crime-fighting mission in the capital.
Suspect Identified as Afghan National
Investigators have identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who came to the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement program following the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. The suspect was shot at the scene by a third guard member and is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro described the attack as “ambush-style,” stating Lakanwal used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver to shoot one guard member twice before turning to fire at the second. FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism.
Background of Suspect Under Scrutiny
Lakanwal was part of a CIA-backed unit in Afghanistan before his relocation to the United States. He was granted asylum in April of this year under the Trump administration, according to Reuters reporting.
Former associates described Lakanwal as having served in a special Afghan army unit, starting as a security guard in 2012 before being promoted to team leader and GPS specialist. At the time of the shooting, he was living in Washington state with his wife and five children.
Political Fallout and Security Response
The shooting has intensified political debates around immigration and vetting procedures. Trump immediately blamed the Biden administration for what he called failures in vetting migrants from Afghanistan and announced plans to “permanently pause migration from all third world countries.”
Following the attack, Trump said he would deploy 500 additional National Guard troops to Washington D.C., though the source of these troops remains unclear. The announcement comes as a federal judge recently ordered an end to the guard deployment but placed the order on hold for 21 days.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey paid tribute to Beckstrom, saying she had “served with courage, extraordinary resolve and an unwavering sense of duty to her state and to her nation.”
Law enforcement agencies have executed search warrants at the suspect’s homes in Washington state and San Diego, California, as the investigation continues.
