DC attack: What we know about the 2 Guard members who were shot
Michael Ramsey
(NewsNation) — Officials on Thursday confirmed the identities of the two National Guard members who were shot at point-blank range near the White House on Wednesday — one of whom passed away on Thursday.
The two soldiers were identified as 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, said Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. District Attorney for D.C.
They were among hundreds of Guard members from West Virginia deployed in the nation’s capital as part of President Trump’s crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C. Nearly 2,200 troops from various states are stationed there under a joint task force.
Pirro described them as “dedicated service members who were performing their duties in service to our nation.”
A picture of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was identified as one of two National Guard members shot in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 26, 2025. (U.S. Department of Justice)A picture of Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was identified as one of two National Guard members shot in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 26, 2025. (U.S. Department of Justice)
Both Guard members reportedly were shot in the head in what authorities describe a targeted attack before the alleged shooter, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was wounded and taken into custody.
On Thursday, President Trump said Beckstrom had died from her injuries, while Wolfe was “fighting for his life.”
An unidentified man in military fatigues lies on a stretcher inside an ambulance 26 November, 2025 in downtown Washington, DC. Two National Guard soldiers were shot a few blocks from the White House, according to law enforcement. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 26: The ambulance bay at the George Washington University Hospital is seen after National Guard soldiers were transported to the hospital after being shot on November 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot blocks from the White House, and a suspect is being detained at a local hospital. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
An unidentified man in military fatigues lies on a stretcher inside an ambulance 26 November, 2025 in downtown Washington, DC. Two National Guard soldiers were shot a few blocks from the White House, according to law enforcement. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP via Getty Images)
An unidentified man in military fatigues lies on a stretcher inside an ambulance on November 26, 2025 in downtown Washington, DC. Two National Guard soldiers were shot a few blocks from the White House, according to law enforcement. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP via Getty Images)
National Guard soldiers gather near a crime scene after a shooting in downtown Washington, DC, on November 26, 2025. Two members of the National Guard were shot Wednesday just blocks from the White House, according to officials, as a spokesperson for Donald Trump said the president has been briefed on the “tragic situation.” Police said they had detained a suspect. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP via Getty Images)
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Lakanwal was granted entry to the U.S. in 2021 following the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, officials said.
His permission to be in the U.S. expired in September, and he is now in the country illegally, according to federal law enforcement sources.
He allegedly used a handgun to fire at the Guard members.
