A shooting in Washington, D.C. left U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom dead and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe in critical condition. The Department of Justice is seeking a first-degree murder charge against the alleged shooter, Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, according to FOX 29. The attack took place near the White House on Wednesday afternoon, less than a day after the National Guard members began their newly assigned patrols to enhance security in the capital.
President Donald Trump and West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey paid tribute to Beckstrom, who died from her injuries on Thanksgiving Day. Trump described her as “outstanding in every way,” while Morrisey called both victims “West Virginia heroes,” as per FOX 29. The accused shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was critically injured during his arrest. Reports also indicate he previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan, a role that ended after the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.
As reported by CBS News, further investigation shows that Lakanwal entered the United States four years ago, confirmed by multiple law enforcement sources. He faces several charges, including two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and initially three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Following Beckstrom’s death, the charges have been updated to include first-degree murder, according to the Department of Justice.
