The father of 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, said she suffered a mortal wound and is unlikely to recover. Beckstrom and fellow guardsman Andrew Wolfe, both 24 or younger, remain in critical condition after surgery. The suspect, Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, faces assault charges that could escalate to murder if either victim dies.
On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, allegedly shot two West Virginia National Guard members blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C. The victims, Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, had been sworn in less than 24 hours earlier and were deployed to secure the city under President Trump's executive order to make D.C. safe.
Beckstrom had volunteered to work the Thanksgiving shift so her fellow soldiers could spend the holiday with family, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. "She volunteered to be there on Thanksgiving, working today," Bondi told Fox News. "She volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families. Yet, now, their families are in hospital rooms with them while they are fighting for their lives."
Both victims underwent surgery on Thursday and are in critical condition, receiving care with their families present, as confirmed by Rep. Riley M. Moore and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. However, Beckstrom's father, Gary Beckstrom, expressed grave concern: "I’m holding her hand right now. She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery."
Lakanwal entered the U.S. in September 2021 via Operation Allies Welcome, which resettled about 77,000 Afghans after the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan. CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated Lakanwal had worked with the CIA as part of a partner force in Kandahar, known as Zero Units, trained to target the Taliban but accused of civilian killings. Officials noted he drove from Washington state to D.C. with intent to target the capital.
Pirro announced current charges: three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed (D.C. codes 22–401 and 22–4502) and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying up to 15 years. "If they do not [survive], that will certainly be the charge: murder in the first degree," she said, emphasizing accountability under Attorney General Pam Bondi. President Trump called it a "monstrous ambush," blaming prior immigration policies for allowing unvetted entries.
