Two National Guard soldiers fired upon just blocks from the White House the day before Thanksgiving were identified as being in critical condition following surgery. Authorities labeled the shooting as a “targeted” attack.
Sara Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, were both critically injured. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, mentioned at a Thursday morning press conference that the two had taken their oaths less than 24 hours before the incident.
Beckstrom and Wolfe are part of the West Virginia National Guard, deployed to Washington, D.C. earlier this year under an executive order from President Trump aimed at addressing crime in the capital.
During the press conference, Pirro described how both soldiers “answered the call” and “risked their lives for people they didn’t even know.” She detailed the circumstances surrounding the shooting, stating it occurred near the Farragut West subway station around 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
The assailant, a 29-year-old Afghan national named Rahmanullah Rakanwar, reportedly ambushed the soldiers while they were in uniform. Armed with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, Rakanwar shot Wolfe, causing him to fall, then shot Beckstrom several times.
Other guards nearby responded quickly, with one security officer shooting and killing Rakanwar soon after the attack. He was subsequently taken to a hospital under heavy security.
The investigation is currently looking at the shooting as a potentially international act of terrorism. Patel, an FBI official, stated that Rakanwar had connections to U.S. partner forces in Afghanistan and that they were examining his background further, including known associations in both the U.S. and overseas.
Rakanwar had come to the U.S. in 2021 under humanitarian parole following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. His asylum request was approved while Trump was in office.
Federal authorities carried out multiple search warrants across the country, including at Rakanwar’s last recorded address in Bellingham, Washington. Several electronic devices were confiscated during these searches for ongoing analysis.
Patel noted that evidence from Washington state has led them to San Diego for further interviews, hinting at a broader investigation that might extend based on what they discover. He concluded with a commitment to follow the evidence wherever it leads.
