U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro defends National Guard presence in D.C.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro defended President Trump’s decision to send troops to Washington, D.C., following a shooting incident involving two National Guard members.
President Donald Trump announced on November 27 that a National Guard member had been ambushed and shot dead by Afghans near the White House. The shooting sparked condemnation of the administration’s failures in immigration screening during the Biden administration and prompted a fundamental overhaul of asylum applications.
After the Nov. 26 shooting, which investigators said was a terrorism investigation, Sara Beckstrom, 20, died of her injuries and President Trump said National Guardsman Andrew Wolf, 24, was “fighting for his life.”
Janine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, identified Beckstrom and Wolf as the two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House. Beckstrom, an Army specialist from Summersville, West Virginia, will be assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade and commissioned in June 2023, according to a West Virginia National Guard news release.
President Trump said on November 27: “Sarah Beckstrom from West Virginia is one of the Guardsmen we’re talking about, a very well-respected, young, wonderful person… She just passed away. She’s no longer with us.”
U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Wolf, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was assigned to the 167th Airlift Wing’s Force Support Squadron. He was commissioned in February 2019, according to a news release.
The two were members of the National Guard sent to the area in August as part of President Trump’s anti-crime efforts. The suspect, described by officials as a “lone gunman”, is currently in custody and facing charges in connection with the attack, which is believed to be a possible act of terrorism.
“Brazen targeted attack”
The two National Guard soldiers were shot and killed near the Farragut West subway station on Nov. 26, officials said. The soldiers were on a “high-visibility patrol” near the corner of 17th Avenue and Eye Street, about two blocks from the White House, about 2:15 p.m. ET when the shooting occurred, officials said.
The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Rakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national from Washington state, was also shot dead and subdued by other security personnel in the area.
At a press conference on November 27, Pirro called the incident a “brazen targeted attack” by a “lone perpetrator” who ambushed without provocation. The perpetrator used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver.
In an interview on Fox & Friends, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Beckstrom volunteered over the holiday so others could spend Thanksgiving with their families.
“But now their families are in the hospital room with them and they are fighting for their lives,” Bondi said.
He added that if the two guards did not survive, the Justice Department would “do everything in its power to seek the death penalty” against the suspects, who should not have been allowed into the country.
“I have nothing but good things to say about him.”
Wolf’s high school alma mater in West Virginia, according to WUSA9 He was recognized in a now-deleted social media memorial.
“Our Appleman community is deeply saddened to learn that Musselman High School graduate Andrew Wolf was one of the National Guard members injured in the shooting in Washington, D.C.,” the statement said. “Please remember Andrew, his family and all those affected.”
DC News Now reported that Wolfe graduated from the school in 2019. Christine Redstreak, a counselor at Musselman High School, described him to the newspaper as “a really nice guy.”
“I have nothing but good things to say about him. He impacted the Musselman community just by serving and giving to others,” Redstreak said.
Suspect faces multiple charges
Pirro said at a news conference that the suspect will be charged with three counts of assault while armed with intent to murder and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Pirro added that the suspect faces 15 years in prison for assault with intent to kill.
Pirro said additional charges would depend on the well-being of the guards, echoing the sentiments of other officials, adding: “We hope they survive and that the top charge doesn’t have to be first-degree murder.”
Rahmanullah Rakanwal worked for a CIA support unit in Kandahar and reportedly overstayed a visa given to people facing persecution for supporting the United States. The suspect is said to have entered the United States from Afghanistan in 2021, which President Trump blamed on the Biden administration.
The incident prompted President Trump to deploy an additional 500 troops to the nation’s capital. The motive for the shooting is unknown.
“It’s too early to say what the motives are, but there are certainly areas that we’re looking at, but we’re not ready to say yet,” Pirro said.
West Virginia governor visits victims in hospital
In a video message shared with X on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 27, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said he visited Beckstrom, Wolf and their families in the hospital the night of the shooting.
“We’re talking about really brave people here. These are brave people who stood up to defend our country and defend our nation,” Morrisey said. “This is a volunteer.”
Prime Minister Morrissey called the incident “unspeakable violence” and called for justice.
Taylor Eardley is a news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact tardrey@gannett.com.
Contributors: Thao Nguyen, James Powel, Sarah D. Wire, Michael Collins, Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY. Reuters
