West Virginia Governor Gives Update on Guardsman Injured ...

By Gabe Whisnant

Breaking News Editor

ShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

A West Virginia National Guard member critically wounded in a daytime shooting near the White House last week has shown small but encouraging signs of improvement, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Monday. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in serious condition after being shot while deployed to Washington, D.C., as part of President Donald Trump’s federalized crime-fighting initiative.

Morrisey said Wolfe responded to a nurse’s question with a thumbs-up and was able to wiggle his toes, signals that he said offered “hope” for his recovery.

Wolfe’s family has asked for continued prayers as he fights for his life, the governor said. Another West Virginia National Guard member, U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the attack. Morrisey said funeral arrangements for Beckstrom have not yet been finalized and that the state intends to respect her family’s wishes for privacy. “Andrew is still fighting for his life,” he said. “Andrew needs prayers.”

...

Beckstrom and Wolfe were shot Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House while serving on a joint task force created under Trump’s order to federalize D.C. police in response to violent crime. Investigators have not identified a motive in the attack. Authorities said Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, has been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of assault. Lakanwal, who was also shot during the confrontation, remains hospitalized and has not yet appeared in court.

In the aftermath of the shooting, the Trump administration halted all asylum decisions and paused the issuance of visas for travelers using Afghan passports. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the president directed him to send an additional 500 National Guard members to Washington, though Morrisey said West Virginia has not been asked to provide more personnel.

Roughly 2,200 troops are currently assigned to the operation in the city, according to the latest federal update. West Virginia deployed more than 300 Guard members in August, and about 170 volunteered to extend their service into the end of the year while the remainder returned home in mid-November.

“Our sole focus right now is looking after the well-being of the 170 service members who are on the ground, focusing on the family, assuring that prayers are going out,” Morrisey said.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.

This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.

Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines