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West Virginia communities and officials are honoring the two members of the state’s National Guard who were shot in Washington, D.C. last week, lauding their dedication to serving their country.
Army Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her wounds on Thanksgiving Day.
Air Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition, but yesterday, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said Wolfe “showed positive signs by giving a thumbs-up that he could hear a nurse’s question and wiggling his toes.”
The Guardsmen were ambushed by a lone gunman while serving on a public safety mission not far from the White House.
According to the most recent available data (Nov. 12) from the Joint Task Force-DC, Wolfe was one of roughly 200 Air Guard members serving alongside Beckstrom and about 2,300 Army Guardsmen in the District.
They are from the District of Columbia and multiple states.
West Virginia officials, including Morrisey, recognized their service with proclamations, flag-lowering orders, a moment of silence and community vigils, while highlighting their dedication to protecting the nation’s capital.
In downtown D.C., flowers, flags, military challenge coins and stuffed animals have been left outside of a makeshift memorial for Beckstrom.
She was remembered for her leadership and volunteer spirit, and Wolfe for his commitment both to military service and his civilian role in telecommunications.
“I want to tell the members of the West Virginia National Guard that our family has joined together across this state and in D.C. – our family members in the Guard that are in the Middle East, that are in Europe, that are on the southwest border – I’ve heard from all of those regions and we’re praying together,” said Maj. Gen. James Seward, the adjutant general of West Virginia, at a Monday press conference.
“We are a family, 6,000-plus strong,” he added. And so, when we lose one of our family members, I can tell you that every guardsman I’ve talked to is grieving.”
National figures, including the NGAUS president, also expressed condolences after her death.
“We offer our condolences to Spc. Sarah Beckstrom’s immediate family, those who knew her and all those that served with her,” said retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, the association president, in a social media post on Thanksgiving Day.
“She came to Washington, D.C., to serve her nation and did so honorably. Her sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
President Trump said Sunday he plans to honor two West Virginia Guardsmen and host their families at the White House at an appropriate time.
Shooting Suspect
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker who entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome after serving over a decade in a CIA-backed Afghan Army unit, has been formally charged with first-degree murder.
Immediately after the shooting, nearby Guardsmen and police helped subdue Lakanwal, according to multiple news outlets. Lakanwal was wounded and taken to a hospital. His condition remains unknown.
Prior to the attack, Lakanwal exhibited severe mental health struggles, including prolonged isolation, job loss, and erratic cross-country travel, while his family faced eviction and child-neglect concerns, according to The Associated Press.
Authorities learned in interviews with the suspect’s family that Lakanwal may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. CNN confirmed this with multiple law enforcement officials familiar with the case.
According to CNN’s sources, family members told authorities that the PTSD stemmed from the fighting Lakanwal did in Afghanistan, where he fought in a CIA-sponsored-and-trained unit of the Afghan special forces known as a Zero Unit.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated officials believe Lakanwal became radicalized after arriving in the United States.
—By Michael Metz
