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A National Guard member shot in an ambush-style attack near the White House has died, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, as federal authorities charged the suspect and opened a terrorism investigation into the targeted assault on military personnel deployed to the nation’s capital.
Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of Webster Springs, West Virginia, succumbed to her injuries a day after the Wednesday shooting that also left fellow guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, critically wounded. Both served with the West Virginia National Guard, which deployed hundreds of troops to Washington as part of Trump’s crime-fighting mission in the capital.
Authorities identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who came to the U.S. in September 2021 under a resettlement program for Afghans who worked with American forces. He was granted asylum in April under the Trump administration.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism. U.S. Attorney for Washington Jeanine Pirro described it as an ambush-style attack, saying Lakanwal drove across the country from Washington state with a .357 revolver and opened fire on the guardsmen before other military personnel neutralized him.
Lakanwal faces three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Prosecutors said charges could be upgraded to first-degree murder if Wolfe does not survive.
The attack has intensified political debate over immigration vetting. Trump called for re-examining every Afghan admitted under the Biden administration, and federal agencies have halted immigration processing for Afghan nationals while reviewing asylum cases approved by the previous administration.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey confirmed Beckstrom’s death, saying she “served with courage, extraordinary resolve, and an unwavering sense of duty.” Beckstrom entered military service in June 2023.
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