National Guard member dies after shooting near White House

Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old National Guard member shot near the White House on Wednesday, has died.

President Donald Trump announced Beckstrom’s death on Thursday evening, describing her as “outstanding in every way” and a “respected, young, and magnificent person.”

Speaking from Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, “She is no longer with us. She is looking down on us right now.” According to the White House, he later spoke with Beckstrom’s family.

Andrew Wolfe, 24, who was also shot in Wednesday’s attack, remains in critical condition.

Trump stated, “As you know, the other young man is fighting for his life. His condition is very bad. He is fighting for his life. We hope to have better news about him. The monster who committed this crime is also in serious condition, but we won’t even talk about him.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was “devastated” by the news. “I am devastated. Please pray for Sarah’s family. America will never forget her courage. JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED for Sarah. Continue to pray for Andrew. Thank you, President Trump; the death penalty is back,” Bondi stated.

On Thursday morning, District of Columbia Attorney General Jeanine Pirro said that the man who shot Beckstrom and Wolfe would be prosecuted on three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, as new information emerged, including his connections to the CIA and the US.

Pirro stated that the shooter would face 15 years in prison on charges of assault with intent to kill, with additional charges to be added if either Beckstrom or Wolfe succumbed to their injuries.

“We are praying for their survival so that the highest charge is not first-degree murder. But without a doubt, if they do not survive, the charge will certainly be first-degree murder,” Pirro had said.

According to Pirro, Beckstrom and Wolfe had been sworn in just 24 hours before the 29-year-old Afghan national opened fire a few blocks from the White House.

Trump, who was briefed shortly after the incident, ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to be sent to Washington. He described the attack as an “act of evil, hatred, and terror.”

The attacker, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, ambushed the guards in a “brazen attack” with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver.

Pirro said Lakanwal opened fire around 2:15 p.m. without any provocation. Other guards at the scene immediately responded and “neutralized the attacker.” The assailant was then taken to a local hospital, where he is being held under tight security.

Speaking on Fox & Friends on Thursday, Bondi stated that the Department of Justice would “do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against this monster who should not be in our country.”

In a press conference on Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel said a search warrant was executed at Lakanwal’s home and that “all individuals present at the residence were questioned.”

“This is an ongoing terrorism investigation, there is no doubt about that,” Patel said.

Patel also announced that the FBI, in conjunction with the CIA and the Department of Defense, is investigating the attacker’s background, including all known connections abroad and in the US.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed to POLITICO that Lakanwal had previous connections with the US, including the CIA.

Ratcliffe disclosed the attacker’s CIA connection, stating:

“Following Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration justified bringing the suspected attacker to the US in September 2021 because he had previously worked with the US government, including the CIA, as a member of the joint forces in Kandahar, which ended shortly after the chaotic evacuation. This individual and many others should never have been allowed to come here. Our citizens and our soldiers deserve far better than to suffer the ongoing effects of the Biden administration’s catastrophic failures. God bless our brave soldiers.”

Meanwhile, according to #AfghanEvac, a non-profit organization run by US veterans and others who served in Afghanistan, Lakanwal had previously served in one of Afghanistan’s elite counter-terrorism units.

Following Wednesday’s shooting, US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow announced that the agency would re-examine all immigrants with green cards from “countries of concern.”

Earlier this year, Trump had imposed a travel ban on immigrants from 19 countries, including Afghanistan.

“The protection of this country and the American people is paramount, and the American people will not have to pay the price for the reckless resettlement policies of the previous administration. The safety of the American people is not up for debate,” Edlow added.

A memo released by the Trump administration in June listed the 19 countries subject to entry restrictions. The countries on the list included Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, as well as Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance strongly criticized the Biden administration for its immigration policy of accepting Afghan refugees, while USCIS immediately suspended all immigration applications from Afghan citizens.

Vance stated:

“I remember in 2021 criticizing Biden’s policy of opening the doors to unvetted Afghan refugees. My friends sent me messages telling me I was a racist. This was a moment that put everything into perspective. They should not have been in our country.”

According to a memo obtained by The Hill, the Trump administration had called on USCIS on Tuesday, before the shooting, to “re-interview” approximately 200,000 refugees who had entered the country. The memo indicated that the refugees’ protection status could be revoked.