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.
A West Virginia National Guard man who was seriously injured in a shooting in Washington, D.C. that left one soldier dead and was seriously injured, is “slowly recovering,” his family and Gov. Patrick Morrisey said over the weekend.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolf, 24, is “fighting for his life” after being ambushed and shot by Afghans near the White House on Nov. 26, authorities said. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, a member of the West Virginia National Guard, also died from her injuries the next day.
Morrissey said in a statement on Dec. 5, quoting Wolfe’s parents, that Wolfe’s head wound is “slowly healing” and that he is starting to look “more like himself.” The governor said Wolf’s family expects he will remain in acute care for another two to three weeks, but is “optimistic about his progress.”
Prime Minister Morrissey called on all West Virginians and Americans to continue praying for Wolf’s recovery. He added that he plans to attend a vigil on Dec. 5 at Wolf’s alma mater, Musselman High School, in Berkeley County, West Virginia.
The shooting caused grief across West Virginia, and in the days following the incident, community members held vigils in memory of Beckstrom and Wolf. The incident also led to the Trump administration’s tightening of immigration and crime enforcement, including suspending immigration applications from 19 countries deemed “high risk” and sending in additional troops.
Rahmanullah Rakanwal, 29, who was shot dead shortly after the attack, has been charged with first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. A federal investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
The West Virginia National Guard has been deployed to the nation’s capital as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to fight crime. About 170 West Virginia National Guard troops remain deployed in Washington, D.C., and federal officials said 500 more soldiers would be sent to the area in response to the attack.
“It’s progressing well and exceeding expectations.”
Wolf’s mother, Melody Wolf, joined Maj. Gen. Jim Seward, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, and his wife, Leslie, to give an update on the soldier’s physiological progress on Dec. 6.
In a video statement shared on social media, Seward said Wolfe is “making remarkable improvements thanks to everyone’s prayers and the excellent medical care he is receiving.” Wolf’s mother added that her son has become more alert and active.
In a video posted to the West Virginia National Guard’s Instagram page, his mother said, “He is no longer sedated. We are reducing the pain medication.” “He has exceeded expectations and is progressing well.”
Both Seward and Wolf’s mother asked people to continue praying for him, the Beckstrom family, and the National Guard troops deployed across the country and around the world.
Both National Guardsmen suffered gunshot wounds to the head.
New details about the shooting released last week revealed that Wolf and Beckstrom both suffered gunshot wounds to the head, USA TODAY reported.
According to an eight-page complaint filed by Metropolitan Police Department Detective Joshua Brunson, Beckstrom and Wolff were on patrol “in uniform” near the intersection of 17th Street and I Street in Northwest Washington when gunshots rang out.
The indictment says photos taken from a surveillance camera at the scene of the shooting showed the suspect crouching next to Beckstrom and Wolf, who are suspected of firing a revolver.
Beckstrom and Wolf were found “unresponsive and suffering from gunshot wounds to the head” and were taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to the complaint. Beckström was pronounced dead at a hospital on November 27th.
An autopsy determined that Beckström died from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, and the cause of death was ruled a homicide.
Who is Andrew Wolf?
Wolf is a native of Martinsburg, a city of about 18,000 people in West Virginia’s eastern panhandle. He was commissioned in February 2019 and assigned to the 167th Airlift Wing’s Troop Support Squadron, according to a West Virginia National Guard news release.
In a statement to USA TODAY, Berkeley County Schools confirmed that Wolfe attended Musselman High School and graduated in 2019. The school is located in Inwood, West Virginia.
“During his time at Musselman High School, he was an active, enthusiastic, high-achieving student who exemplified the Appleman spirit and made positive contributions to the school community both academically and athletically,” Musselman High School Principal Alicia Riggleman said in a statement.
The school asked members of the community to keep West Virginia National Guard members in mind.
Contributors: Natalie Neysa Alund and Michael Loria, USA TODAY
