Sarah Beckstrom, one of the two National Guard members shot near the White House on Wednesday, has died, President Donald Trump said Thursday evening.
“She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now,” Trump said during his Thanksgiving address.
Why It Matters
West Virginia National Guard members Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, had been stationed in Washington, D.C., since August as part of a federal surge in the capital focused on crime and immigration operations.
The suspected gunman, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal of Washington state, is accused of driving across the country before carrying out an “ambush-style” attack. He allegedly used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver to shoot Beckstrom and Wolfe before being wounded and detained by responding troops, according to U.S. Attorney General of the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro.
Pirro publicly identified the two soldiers on Thursday, confirming that both had undergone surgery and were initially listed in critical condition.
Lakanwal has been in the U.S. since 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome and applied for asylum in 2024. His asylum request was approved by the Trump administration earlier this year.
What To Know About Beckstrom’s Injuries
Beckstrom was previously reported to be in critical condition after suffering gunshot wounds to the chest and head during the attack in Washington, D.C.
Her father, who remained at her bedside, told The New York Times earlier on Thursday that she was not expected to survive. “She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery,” he said.
Trump said he was informed that Beckstrom had died just moments before delivering his Thanksgiving address, describing her as a “magnificent person” who was “outstanding in every way.”
“She’s no longer with us,” Trump said, adding that her parents were with her at the time of her death and that she had been “savagely attacked.”
Who Is Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal?
Lakanwal was among roughly 76,000 Afghans brought to the United States following the 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan, as the Taliban returned to power. The relocation effort, known as Operation Allies Welcome, was launched in the first year of the Biden administration to resettle Afghans who had assisted U.S. forces during two decades of operations in the country.
According to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Lakanwal worked with the U.S. government as well as the CIA. His exact motive remains unclear, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the investigation.
The Trump administration has criticized the Biden administration for allowing what it calls “unvetted” Afghans into the country, though it was the Trump administration that ultimately approved Lakanwal’s asylum application earlier this year.
“We have no greater national security priority than ensuring that we have full control over the people that enter and remain in our country,” Trump said. “For the most part, we don’t want them.”
How Is Andrew Wolfe Doing?
Wolfe also underwent surgery following the shooting and remains hospitalized. On Thursday, Trump said Wolfe is “in bad shape” and continues to fight for his life.
