Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, shot in an ambush near the White House on Nov. 26, will receive the Purple Heart. Beckstrom died the following day; Wolfe was seriously wounded and is recovering. The accused, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, faces nine charges and has pleaded not guilty. Hegseth made the announcement during a reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument honoring Guardsmen serving in Washington, D.C.
Two West Virginia Guardsmen to Receive Purple Heart After White House–Area Ambush, Hegseth Announces
National Guard Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom was killed in a shooting incident, Nov. 26, in Washington D.C.(Fox News)
Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that two West Virginia National Guard members who were shot in an ambush-style attack near the White House on Nov. 26 will be awarded the Purple Heart.
Hegseth made the announcement while presiding over a National Guard reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument, where he administered the oath to more than 100 Guardsmen representing nine states. He described the Nov. 26 incident as "a terrible thing" and said the service members were "attacked by a radical."
Those wounded: Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot just blocks from the White House in what officials described as an ambush. Beckstrom died the day after the shooting; Wolfe was seriously wounded and is recovering.
"Andrew Wolfe, Sarah Beckstrom, one lost, one recovered, thank God, in miraculous ways. Both soon to be Purple Heart recipients because they were attacked by a radical," Hegseth said.
What the Purple Heart Means
The Purple Heart is one of the U.S. military's oldest decorations. Its roots trace to the Revolutionary War, when George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit in 1782 to honor enlisted soldiers wounded or killed in service. The modern Purple Heart was reestablished in 1932 and is awarded in the name of the president to service members wounded or killed by enemy action.
Accused Shooter and Legal Status
The accused attacker, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, faces nine charges related to the shooting, including first-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed. He has pleaded not guilty.
National Guard Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was wounded in a shooting incident, Nov. 26, in Washington D.C.
Reactions and Context
In a post on X, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey thanked Hegseth and called the recognition "long overdue," noting he officially requested the Purple Hearts on Dec. 19. Morrisey said the awards offer meaning and reassurance to the families and honor the sacrifice of the fallen Guardsman.
The announcement came during a ceremony highlighting the National Guard's continued security mission in Washington, D.C. According to a War Department news release, more than 100 Guardsmen from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia reenlisted as part of the mission.
Those troops are among more than 2,600 National Guard members deployed in Washington at the direction of President Donald Trump in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which was created in August 2025 after the president declared a crime emergency for the city.
Hegseth characterized service in Washington as "front lines" duty: "This is not an easy assignment. It’s the real deal. It’s front lines. You’ve done it, and you’ve done well."
The Army did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. Reporters Rachel Wolf and Jake Gibson contributed to the original reporting.
Help us improve.
