Parents Update: National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe Slowly Recovering After Fatal D.C. Shooting

Parents Give Update On Guard Member Injured Near the White House

One of the two National Guard members shot near the White House on Nov. 26 remains hospitalized and is showing signs of recovery, family and officials say. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died of her injuries; Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, survived the attack and has undergone surgery for a head wound.

On Dec. 5, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey posted an update on behalf of Wolfe's parents on his official website. "His parents report that his head wound is slowly healing and that he's beginning to 'look more like himself,'" Morrisey wrote. The family expects Wolfe to remain in acute care for another two to three weeks and has asked the public for continued prayers and support.

"Andy’s been out of surgery for a few hours," Wolfe's mother, Melody, wrote in a Nov. 27 Facebook post reported by The Washington Post. "His brain is being allowed space to swell and this first 24 to 48 hours is the biggest right now."

Federal prosecutors have identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who is accused of driving from Washington state to the nation’s capital and opening fire on Wolfe and Beckstrom outside the Farragut West Metro station with a .357-caliber revolver. Lakanwal has been formally charged with first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. He pleaded not guilty at a Dec. 2 hearing.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said on Nov. 27 that the families of the two service members had been "shattered and destroyed and torn apart as the result of the actions of one man." Local officials held vigils in support of the injured guard member and to mourn Specialist Beckstrom.

Context

Beckstrom and Wolfe were among more than 2,000 National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., in August amid claims of rising crime. That deployment has drawn criticism from some observers who view the use of military personnel for domestic patrols as controversial and politically charged.

The investigation and legal proceedings are ongoing. Wolfe's family and public officials continue to request privacy and support as he remains in recovery.