A 20-year-old Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, a West Virginia National Guard member, has died from her injuries after being shot by a gunman in Washington D.C. on Wednesday. The second victim, 24-year-old Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition at a hospital.
According to sources, the two were on patrol outside a downtown D.C. metro station when the gunman opened fire without warning. Beckstrom was struck immediately and collapsed where she stood, while Wolfe was shot after the suspect took her gun and continued firing.
President Trump confirmed the news, saying that Beckstrom's death was a "devastating loss" for the National Guard family. He also said that Wolfe is "fighting for his life."
The suspect in the shooting has been identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. on humanitarian grounds in 2021. His asylum application was granted earlier this year, and he had previously worked with the CIA as a member of a partner force in Kandahar.
Law enforcement sources say that Lakanwal led an Afghan special forces unit that worked directly with U.S. and British forces during the two-decade war in Afghanistan. He is believed to have been deeply troubled by the death of a close friend and fellow commander, who had unsuccessfully sought asylum in the U.S.
The Trump administration has announced a pause on processing all immigration applications for Afghan nationals following the shooting, citing security concerns.
President Trump has called for Americans to pray for Beckstrom's family and Wolfe, saying "We are praying on a day like today, when families come together in America and they hold hands around the Thanksgiving table, I beg you, I beseech you, to pray for these two young people."
The FBI is still investigating the motive behind the shooting, but officials say it was a calculated attack. Authorities have searched Lakanwal's home in Washington state and found evidence of his connection to the CIA.
Lakanwal has not cooperated with authorities at this time, and his asylum application is pending. The Trump administration has vowed to review all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration, citing concerns over national security.
According to sources, the two were on patrol outside a downtown D.C. metro station when the gunman opened fire without warning. Beckstrom was struck immediately and collapsed where she stood, while Wolfe was shot after the suspect took her gun and continued firing.
President Trump confirmed the news, saying that Beckstrom's death was a "devastating loss" for the National Guard family. He also said that Wolfe is "fighting for his life."
The suspect in the shooting has been identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. on humanitarian grounds in 2021. His asylum application was granted earlier this year, and he had previously worked with the CIA as a member of a partner force in Kandahar.
Law enforcement sources say that Lakanwal led an Afghan special forces unit that worked directly with U.S. and British forces during the two-decade war in Afghanistan. He is believed to have been deeply troubled by the death of a close friend and fellow commander, who had unsuccessfully sought asylum in the U.S.
The Trump administration has announced a pause on processing all immigration applications for Afghan nationals following the shooting, citing security concerns.
President Trump has called for Americans to pray for Beckstrom's family and Wolfe, saying "We are praying on a day like today, when families come together in America and they hold hands around the Thanksgiving table, I beg you, I beseech you, to pray for these two young people."
The FBI is still investigating the motive behind the shooting, but officials say it was a calculated attack. Authorities have searched Lakanwal's home in Washington state and found evidence of his connection to the CIA.
Lakanwal has not cooperated with authorities at this time, and his asylum application is pending. The Trump administration has vowed to review all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration, citing concerns over national security.
just thinking about this is giving me the chills 
20-year-old Beckstrom was just trying to serve her country and now she's gone 
. And Wolfe is still fighting for his life... my heart goes out to those families 
. Lakanwal's background is super suspicious - working with the CIA and all that 
. It's crazy how much more scrutiny Afghan nationals are getting now 
. 29% of asylum applications from Afghan nationals were approved in 2022 alone 
. And now we're at a pause on all new applications? That's like, what, 100k+ people waiting for their fate to be decided? 
. One more thing - have you seen the stats on veterans' mental health issues lately? It's a real epidemic 
. We need better support systems in place for our brave men and women serving our country 
.
. And the fact that this guy was working with the CIA and was supposed to be some kind of special forces expert, it's just crazy how someone can go from saving lives to taking them in an instant. I don’t know what his motivation was but it sounds like he had some pretty deep emotional issues. 
. And Staff Sgt Wolfe is still fighting for his life, hope he pulls through 
this whole thing has me shaken too, with Lakanwal being a former CIA partner and all... it's not just about the shooting itself but what led to it... was he driven by grief or something? 
its like they were just living their lives and then BAM 
what happened to them is just so senseless 
president trump saying we should pray for them family means a lot but i feel like there should be more concrete actions taken by the government to ensure americans are safe 
especially with the fact that this gunman had ties to the CIA and was granted asylum 
she was only 20 years old... it's just not right that her life got cut short like this. my heart goes out to her family and friends, and also to staff Sgt wolfe who is still fighting for his life 
i feel so angry and frustrated at the same time... how can something like this happen in our own country? 
it's just not okay that someone like Rahmanullah was able to enter the US on humanitarian grounds but then went on to do such a heinous act... i hope the FBI finds out what really happened behind that shooting