In an especially alarming case this past week, National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was shot close to the White House in Washington, D.C. Tragically, she later died from her injuries. The attack came less than 24 hours after Beckstrom and fellow guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, were sworn into service. As Wolfe continues to recover, he is still in critical condition and has a long battle ahead of him.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. Relatedly, he has been indicted on a count of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. He is charged with committing a hate crime for targeting the two guardsmen. If either Beckstrom or Wolfe don’t make it, prosecutors would be able to raise the charges against Lakanwal to first-degree murder.
Beckstrom’s father, Gary Beckstrom, shared the heartbreaking moment he learned of his daughter’s fate. “I’m holding her hand right now. She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a V-shaped recovery,” he continued. In his first public comments since the episode, Donald Trump acknowledged Beckstrom’s death. He praised her as “highly respected” and a “magnificent person.”
“Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen that we’re talking about, highly respected, young, magnificent person … She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us.” – Donald Trump
Lakanwal came to the United States in September 2021 through a special immigrant visa program for Afghans who worked on behalf of the U.S. government. He was granted asylum by the Trump administration in April. Prior to that, he operated in tandem with CIA-backed military forces during the U.S. war in Afghanistan.
The brazen attack has raised myriad questions about security, including the safety of military personnel working in harm’s way in sensitive, frontline areas. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington D.C. at the time, announced the charges against Lakanwal. She called attention to how grave this is, particularly if additional charges are warranted.
As the investigation unfolds, the community mourns the loss of a dedicated young woman who had just begun her military career. The crash is a tragic and poignant reminder. It brings home the dangers sometimes unknowable that those serving to defend our nation have to contend with.