Guard member Sarah Beckstrom dies after targeted DC shooting; suspect linked to Afghan unit

Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old member of the West Virginia National Guard, died on Thursday after being shot near the White House in what officials described as a targeted attack. Her death was announced by Donald Trump, who delivered his first live remarks since the incident and called her a “magnificent person” whose life had been cut short.

Beckstrom and fellow guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, were on duty on Wednesday as part of the National Guard deployment to Washington, a mission ordered by Trump as part of a wider crime-fighting initiative in the capital. The two guards were attacked without warning. While Beckstrom did not survive, Wolfe remains in critical condition and is fighting for his life, according to the president.

Earlier in the day, Beckstrom’s father had said his daughter was unlikely to recover from her wounds. Speaking by phone, he described being by her bedside, holding her hand, and knowing that her injuries were fatal. Beckstrom, from Webster Springs, West Virginia, had joined the National Guard in June 2023 and deployed to Washington with hundreds of her colleagues.

West Virginia’s governor, Patrick Morrisey, confirmed her death soon after Trump’s announcement. In a message posted to social media, he described Beckstrom as someone who served with “courage” and “extraordinary resolve,” honouring her sense of duty to both her state and the United States.

Authorities identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the US in 2021 under a programme designed for Afghans who had worked alongside American forces. He was granted asylum earlier this year. Officials confirmed that he had worked with CIA-backed military units during the war in Afghanistan and previously served in a special Afghan Army unit, eventually rising from security guard to team leader and GPS specialist.

Relatives and former colleagues in Afghanistan, speaking on condition of anonymity, described Lakanwal’s military background and said he originated from Khost province. In the US, he had been living in Washington state with his wife and five children, according to his former landlord.

Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for Washington DC, said Lakanwal drove across the country before carrying out what she described as an “ambush-style” attack using a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. According to authorities, he shot one guard twice before firing on the second. Other Guard members at the scene quickly engaged him and brought the attack to an end. Pirro stated that Lakanwal would face multiple charges of assault with intent to kill while armed, along with firearm offences. She added that charges could be elevated to murder in the first degree should both Guard members die.

FBI director Kash Patel announced that the shooting was being investigated as an act of terrorism. Federal agents executed search warrants at properties linked to Lakanwal in both Washington and San Diego. Investigators said they had not yet identified a motive but believed the suspect acted alone.

The case has reignited fierce debate over Afghan resettlement and US immigration vetting. Roughly 76,000 Afghans were admitted through the resettlement programme. Supporters argue that individuals were extensively vetted due to their work with US forces, while critics, including Trump and several Republicans, have long claimed that the process contained significant gaps.

Following the shooting, Trump blamed the Biden administration for what he said were failures in vetting and called for an immediate review of all Afghan migrants admitted under Biden. Federal agencies have since confirmed a series of rapid policy shifts. US Citizenship and Immigration Services said it has halted processing for all Afghan immigration requests, while the Department of Homeland Security announced a wider review of asylum cases approved under the current administration. Officials have not clarified whether the review extends beyond Afghan applicants.

Trump also stated he would deploy an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington DC, although it remains unclear where those forces would originate. As of early November, several states including West Virginia, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama  had already sent personnel to support operations in the capital. A federal judge recently ordered that the deployment must end, but suspended the ruling for 21 days to allow the administration time to respond.