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Wounded West Virginia Guardsman Gives Thumbs-Up After White House-Area Shooting; Colleague Dies

Summary: Andrew Wolfe, 24, the West Virginia Guardsman wounded near the White House, signaled he could respond to medical staff by giving a thumbs-up and wiggling his toes but remains in serious condition. His fellow Guardsman, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, died of her wounds. Authorities say suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who resettled in the U.S. in 2021, was wounded at the scene and faces first-degree murder charges. Officials continue to investigate the motive.

02:06 AM, 12/02/2025Security
Wounded West Virginia Guardsman Gives Thumbs-Up After White House-Area Shooting; Colleague Dies

By Brad Brooks

A 24-year-old West Virginia National Guardsman wounded in a shooting near the White House responded to medical staff by giving a thumbs-up and wiggling his toes, Governor Patrick Morrisey said Monday. The guard, identified as Andrew Wolfe, remains in serious condition.

The other Guardsman shot in the attack, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, later died of her injuries.

Authorities have identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national. Investigators say Lakanwal drove across the country from his home in Washington state and fired on the two Guardsmen with a .357 Magnum revolver before other troops at the scene returned fire and wounded him. He now faces first-degree murder and related charges.

Officials say Lakanwal resettled in the United States in 2021 as part of a program to relocate Afghans who assisted U.S. forces; they also say he had served in a CIA-backed unit in Afghanistan and that he had previously been granted asylum. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has said Lakanwal became radicalized after arriving in the U.S., and investigators continue to probe his motive.

Both Guardsmen were part of a West Virginia deployment to Washington that stems from orders earlier this year to send National Guard personnel to the capital to assist with public-safety missions. Governor Morrisey defended the deployment on Monday, saying all 170 West Virginia guardsmen in the capital volunteered for the assignment and that they "believe in the mission." He asked residents to keep Wolfe and Beckstrom's families in their prayers.

Former President Donald Trump reacted to the shooting by saying he would pause migration from what he described as "Third World countries" and that the U.S. had stopped processing visas for Afghan nationals; those policy suggestions have drawn debate from political leaders across the spectrum. Investigators continue to examine evidence and interview witnesses as the case moves through the criminal-justice system.

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