President Trump Confirms Death of National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom in D.C. Shooting; Survivor Remains Critical

President Trump announced on Thanksgiving that one of two West Virginia National Guardsmen shot in a targeted ambush near the White House has died from her wounds, while the other remains in critical condition.

Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, from Summersville, West Virginia, succumbed to injuries on November 27, 2025, after being shot in the head during the attack. Beckstrom enlisted in June 2023 and volunteered for deployment to Washington as part of Operation DC Safe and Beautiful, President Trump's initiative deploying National Guard troops to combat crime in the capital. In a video address from Mar-a-Lago, President Trump described her as a "highly respected, young, magnificent person, outstanding in every way," adding, "She's no longer with us. She's looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her." He hailed her sacrifice, stating, "America will never bend and never yield in the face of terror, and at the same time, we will not be deterred from the mission these service members were so nobly fulfilling."

Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, the other victim, is "fighting for his life" and in "very bad shape," President Trump said, noting, "And hopefully we'll get better news with respect to him." Wolfe, also from West Virginia, underwent surgery following the shooting and remains hospitalized.

The incident occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. ET on November 26, 2025, near the Farragut West Metro station at 17th and I Streets NW, two blocks from the White House. Beckstrom and Wolfe, uniformed members of Joint Task Force-DC, were conducting a high-visibility patrol when suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national, emerged from around a corner and opened fire with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver in an "ambush-style" attack. Officials exchanged about 15 shots with Lakanwal, wounding him non-fatally before taking him into custody. No motive has been established, though the FBI is investigating as potential international terrorism.

Lakanwal, who served 10 years in the Afghan army alongside U.S. Special Forces and as a CIA partner force member in Kandahar, entered the U.S. in September 2021 under the Biden administration's Operation Allies Welcome humanitarian parole program. His parole expired in 2023; he filed for asylum in December 2024 and received it in April 2025. He drove cross-country from Washington state to D.C. prior to the shooting.

U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced preliminary federal charges against Lakanwal on November 27, 2025, including three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. With Beckstrom's death, charges are expected to escalate to first-degree murder under federal statutes for assaulting federal officers resulting in death (18 U.S.C. § 1114), potentially carrying a life sentence or death penalty if terrorism enhancements apply under 18 U.S.C. § 2332b. Additional local D.C. charges for murder and weapons violations are anticipated once Lakanwal, currently hospitalized under guard, is medically cleared for arraignment.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who visited the victims' families, confirmed Beckstrom's death, stating, "Sarah served with courage, extraordinary resolve, and an unwavering sense of duty." The West Virginia National Guard described her loss as "felt profoundly across our One Guard Family." President Trump indicated he is considering attending her funeral.