Nat. Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom Dies Following Attack Near White House

Original article here

One of two National Guard members who were shot Tuesday in D.C. in an attack by an 29-year-old Afghan national,  has died while her wounded colleague remains in critical condition.

U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe were helping to provide security near the White House when they were allegedly ambushed by 29-year-old suspect  Rahmanullah Lakanwal who was brought to the U.S. in Sept. 2021, under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome.

Beckstrom’s death has drawn expressions of outrage and grief from leaders across both parties and prompted vigils and memorials in West Virginia, which both she and Wolfe called home.

An American hero, at home with the LORD.

RIP, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom.

May our nation kneel in prayer for her family. https://t.co/u8VNBGcpRt

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) November 27, 2025

President Trump announced Beckstrom’s death yesterday, saying, “Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen that we’re talking about, highly respected, young, magnificent person… She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us.”

She’s looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her. It’s just happened. She was savagely attacked. She’s dead now,” Trump added.

FBI director Kash Patel stated, “Sarah Beckstrom was a young soldier and patriot with her entire life ahead of her,” adding, “Please join me in praying for Sarah’s family, friends, and fellow soldiers left behind.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi has promised to see the death penalty against the alleged attacker, writing, “Please pray for Sarah’s family. America will never forget her courage. There WILL BE JUSTICE for Sarah. Continue to pray for Andrew.”

Lakanwal, who was shot and wounded by another National Guard member before being taken into custody, had worked with the CIA in Afghanistan and was one of nearly 70,000 Afghan nationals granted a two-year “parole” status allowing him to live and work in the U.S. while applying for more permanent status.

Lakanwal had applied for asylum in December 2024 and was approved on April 23 of this year, three months after Trump took office.

He is accused of driving across the country from Washington state, where he is a resident, and opening fire on the National Guard members in what officials are calling a targeted ambush.

America First Legal released a report in 2024 documenting how  the Biden administration exploited the botched Afghanistan withdrawal to import “countless” unvetted Afghan refugees into the U.S.