By Jordan KingShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe two West Virginia National Guard members who were shot in Washington, D.C., on Thanksgiving eve have been named as Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe.
U.S. Attorney General of the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro named them in a press conference on Thursday.
The pair are said to be in a critical condition after being shot near the White House on Wednesday. Officials have identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, as the suspect.
Newsweek has approached West Virginia National Guard, the FBI and the White House for comment outside of normal working hours.
Why It Matters
The shooting highlights ongoing security concerns in the nation's capital, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered hundreds of National Guard troops there to bolster law enforcement and crack down on crime in the city in August.
Following the attack, Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that an additional 500 National Guard members would be deployed to D.C.
Trump has announced a review of all Afghan nationals admitted under President Joe Biden's administration, while the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services wrote on X that the department was halting the processing of all immigration requests for Afghan nationals indefinitely, pending a review of security and vetting protocols.
...What To Know
Wolfe was previously named in a Facebook post from Musselman High School in Inwood, West Virginia, that was cited by the New York Post and other media outlets, but appears to have since been removed. Newsweek has not been able to independently verify the post and has contacted the principal for comment.
A number of other messages sending thoughts and prayers to Wolfe were posted on Facebook after the attack.
West Virginia woman Brooke Davison posted a photo of the pair smiling with the caption: "Please pray for my dear friend Andrew Wolfe."
Beltway Baggers, which runs regional tournaments for the American Cornhole League, said in a post: "As we head into Thanksgiving, please keep our friend in your prayers. He was shot today while serving our country, and our hearts are with him and his family. We’re praying for his strength, healing, and for his family during this incredibly difficult time. We love you Andy!"
Both victims in the shooting have had surgery, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed to Fox News Thursday morning, revealing one of the victims is female, without initially naming Beckstrom.
"She volunteered to work on Thanksgiving—working today, as did many other guardsmen and women so that other people could be at home with their families," Bondi said. "Yet now their families are in hospital rooms with them, while they are fighting for their lives. Everyone just pray today for these two soldiers."
Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal is an Afghan national who moved to the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome during the administration of former President Joe Biden, according to Fox News, which also reported that the suspect allegedly overstayed his visa and was in the country illegally.
CIA director John Ratcliffe told Fox News Digital: "The Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government, including CIA."
A relative told NBC that Lakanwal served in the Afghan Army for 10 years, working with U.S. Special Forces Troops in Afghanistan, and that he arrived in the U.S. after the Taliban took over.
"We were the ones that were targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan," the relative told NBC. "I cannot believe it that he might do this."
What People Are Saying
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social: "The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price. God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!"
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a video posted to X: "Two West Virginia National Guardsmen were brazenly shot in Washington D.C.—this was an act of unspeakable violence. Our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers go out to the brave servicemembers, their families and their units who are enduring this terrible tragedy."
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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