National Guard member Andrew Wolfe, shot in DC, has shown positive signs, West Virginia governor says
The 24‑year‑old Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, a West Virginia National Guardsman who was shot near the White House, is showing signs of improvement but remains in critical condition, Governor Patrick Morrisey told reporters Monday. In a series of small steps, Wolfe has begun giving a thumbs up and wiggling his toes when nurses ask if he can hear them.
“Andrew is still fighting for his life,” the governor said, urging the public to pray for him. “Andrew needs prayers.”
Wolfe was transported to a hospital in critical condition after he was shot during a patrol alongside 20‑year‑old Spc. Sarah Beckstrom in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday afternoon. Beckstrom suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest and later died from her injuries.
The suspect, 29‑year‑old Afghan immigrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal, also received a gunshot and knife wound in the frantic exchange and has remained hospitalized. No motive has yet been established. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told the press on Sunday that Lakanwal is believed to have become radicalized after arriving in the U.S. in 2021.
Lakanwal had once been part of a CIA‑trained affiliate of Afghan locals who fought the Taliban during the United States’ involvement in the country. He reportedly broke down after witnessing the violence his unit faced and was later moved to the Seattle region following the chaotic withdrawal in 2021.
The incident is classified as a terror attack and Lakanwal faces a first‑degree murder charge. Two National Guardsmen—one armed only with a pocket knife and the other with a firearm—reacted to the gunfire and subdued the suspect.
The events took place amid the presence of roughly 2,200 National Guard soldiers stationed in Washington, D.C. as part of the president’s auxiliary crime‑fighting mission. About 170 of those troops hail from the West Virginia Guard and chose to remain on duty in November after the broader deployment was reduced. Beckstrom had volunteered for service the day she was shot to allow other soldiers to head home for Thanksgiving.
Morrisey said the chief priority is the welfare of the 170 West Virginia troops on the ground, looking after their families, and ensuring prayers are sent out for their safety.
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