National Guard units have begun moving through Washington, D.C.’s downtown on foot in smaller, less predictable groups after an ambush that claimed a soldier’s life and severely injured another. One Friday, troops bounded past the street where suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly shot Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24. Prior to the attack, Guard soldiers had typically stood in pairs at fixed positions—stations by Metro entrances, major avenues, and the National Mall.
In response, the Guard has shifted to roving patrols. “We’ve got to set everything to kind of a higher standard, versus kind of relaxed, you know how it used to be,” one Guardsman—who asked to remain anonymous—shared with the Post. “You had some individuals coming up heckling you [before] … and now it’s just kind of always be on alert.”
The new approach also brings in members of the Metropolitan Police Department, adding extra firepower and local knowledge. As the Washington Post reported, DC officers will do high‑visibility patrols alongside Guard troops, at least for the time being, an arrangement that acknowledges the risks posed by the status quo. “Officers will conduct high‑visibility patrols with the national guard and provide assistance as needed,” an email to DC leadership said, though a spokesman for Joint Task Force – District of Columbia declined to confirm the details, noting that operational security precludes discussing potential changes.
“I think it’s a sound thing to do, it just reinforces each other. It just makes it more of a deterrent that they would come after a National Guard officer,” former Assistant FBI Director Chris Swecker told The Post about the reinforced deployment strategy. He cited similar ambushes targeting police officers nationwide. “You can’t have your gun drawn and pivoting like you’re in a gun fight 24/7. You get eyes in the back of your head, but it’s nearly impossible to stop this from happening if you have someone that’s motivated and you’re on a crowded street,” he added.
President Trump had already ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to join the existing 2,000 under the “Safe and Beautiful Task Force.”
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