Update on National Guardsman Following Shooting

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced on Monday that Andrew Wolf, a member of the West Virginia National Guard, has shown some signs of responsiveness despite being in critical condition. He was injured in a shooting incident last Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

According to Morrisey, Wolf has responded positively to medical staff by giving a thumbs-up and moving his toes. The Guardsman, who is also an Air Force sergeant, remains in a serious state following the attack that resulted in the death of another National Guardsman, Sarah Beckstrom.

Morrisey remarked, “What I want to say is that Andrew remains in critical condition. However, there was some positive news. He was asked if he could hear the nurse’s voice, and he responded. He also wiggled his toes, which we take as a hopeful sign.”

The shooting suspect, Afghan national Rahmanullah Rakanwar, is accused of shooting Wolf and Beckstrom, the latter of whom succumbed to her injuries on Thursday. U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Janine Pirro, stated that Rakanwar has been charged with first-degree murder in Beckstrom’s death.

Just a day after the shooting, the two National Guardsmen were assigned to U.S. Marshals Service personnel, as confirmed by his office. Authorities noted that Rakanwar entered the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021 on humanitarian parole after fleeing the Taliban.

In 2021, the Biden administration granted entry to around 76,000 Afghan refugees. Rakanwar likely received one of the 3,300 special immigrant visas issued that year, having previously worked for the CIA, which expedited his immigration process.

Additionally, reports suggest that Rakanwar faced challenges adapting to life in the U.S., exhibiting signs of mental distress and isolation.