The suspect is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Sarah Beckstrom, 20, a U.S. Army specialist.
Mourners hold candle-light vigil at deceased National Guard’s hometown
National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was shot and killed by Afghans who had ambushed her near the White House.
West Virginia’s governor announced on November 29 that members of the West Virginia National Guard are “fighting for their lives,” days after a suspect shot and killed another soldier in Washington, D.C.
Sarah Beckstrom, 20, a U.S. Army specialist from Summersville, West Virginia, died on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, the day after the Nov. 26 attack on the nation’s capital. U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolf, 24, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was hospitalized in critical condition.
“Andrew is fighting for his life right now,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrissey said on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.” “And his family and all of his friends are trying to gather as many prayers as possible.”
Here’s what we know about the fatal shooting of two National Guardsmen near the White House.
Suspected gunman charged with murder
On November 28, federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., filed first-degree murder charges against the Afghan National Police for shooting Beckstrom and Wolff near the Farragut West subway station, two blocks from the White House.
Rahmanullah Rakanwal, 29, was initially charged with assault and possession of a weapon. But after Mr. Beckstrom died on Nov. 27, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told “Fox & Friends” that Mr. Beckstrom’s office was upgrading the charges against Mr. Lakanwal.
Lakhanwal was shot shortly after the attack and is in a critical condition. The motive is unknown at this time. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said it had no updated information as of Nov. 29.
Officials said the suspect used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver to shoot and kill two security guards.
Trump administration aims to restrict legal immigration after attack
President Donald Trump has threatened to curb immigration from “Third World countries” (a term used to refer to primarily non-white, poor and developing countries). On Thanksgiving night, Trump said in a series of posts on the xenophobic Truth Social that the cuts would “fully restore the American system,” without providing details on which countries would be targeted or the exact plan.
He criticized former President Joe Biden for allowing his nationals into the country. He said the government would remove immigrants, strip non-citizens of federal benefits and subsidies, revoke citizenship and deport foreign nationals it deems official offenses, security risks or “not compatible with Western civilization.”
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it would reconsider green cards for people from 19 countries, including Afghanistan, citing “country-specific negative factors.” The government has already announced that it is suspending “the resettlement of refugees from Afghanistan and the entry of Afghan nationals in its first year in office.”
Suspect worked with U.S. military and CIA-backed forces in Afghanistan
Officials said the suspected gunman, Rakanwal, had previously worked with the U.S. military and CIA-backed forces in Afghanistan.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe told the New York Times that Rakanwal was part of a “partner force” in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province, a Taliban stronghold.
Rakanwal entered the country in 2021 through a program that allows Afghans who have cooperated with U.S. forces to flee the country with their families. The Biden administration-era program, called Operation Welcoming Allies, was designed to target potential Taliban targets after the U.S. withdrew from the country after two decades of war.
Pirro said at a Nov. 27 news conference that authorities accused Lakhanwal of driving out of his home in Bellingham, Washington, where he lived with his wife and five children.
Patel said the FBI is investigating the shooting as a possible act of terrorism. Washington, D.C., officials have described him as the lone gunman in the targeted shooting.
Administration condemns Biden-era program
The program that allowed Lakhanwal to enter the country was established under former President Joe Biden. More than 70,000 Afghan nationals have entered the United States on two-year parole in order to obtain more permanent residency, according to a Congressional report.
Patel and Pirro said the Biden administration is not conducting adequate background checks.
Lakhanwal applied for asylum in December 2024 and was granted asylum in April, Reuters reported, citing documents reviewed by the news agency. He had no known criminal history.
Contributors: Bert Jansen, Joey Garrison, Thao Nguyen, Doyle Rice, Mark Ramirez
