Army National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, has died after being shot in a daylight ambush near the White House in Washington, D.C., while her fellow serviceman remains in critical condition. The attack, carried out on 26 November 2025, has shaken the US capital and triggered a sweeping federal investigation as authorities seek to determine motive and whether the shooting constitutes an act of terrorism.
The incident took place around 2:15 p.m. local time near the Farragut West metro station, roughly two blocks from the White House, where Beckstrom and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, both from West Virginia, were on foot patrol as part of a broader Guard deployment overseeing downtown Washington. According to law enforcement officials, the assault was sudden and brutal. The suspect approached the pair and opened fire at close range. Beckstrom was hit first and fatally wounded. Wolfe was also struck and remains hospitalised in critical condition.
The suspected gunman, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, was wounded in a return exchange of fire and taken into custody. He had previously worked with a CIA-backed paramilitary unit in Afghanistan before arriving in the United States in 2021 under a resettlement programme. His asylum application was approved in April 2025. Investigators say they have seized multiple electronic devices from his residence and are conducting a nationwide probe into possible connections, motives and whether he acted alone or had external influence.
The death of Specialist Beckstrom was confirmed by both the President of the United States and officials with the West Virginia National Guard. She had joined the Guard in June 2023 after graduating high school the previous year, and was deployed to Washington in August under a federally ordered security mission. The Guard described her as a dedicated volunteer, committed to the safety of the capital.
Governor of West Virginia expressed deep sorrow at the loss, calling it a blow to both the state and the tight-knit Guard community. In the small town where Beckstrom grew up, locals gathered for vigils and left blue ribbons as tokens of remembrance. Friends and former teachers recall her as determined, committed to public service, and driven to follow a career in law enforcement.
The assault has triggered significant political fallout. The administration responded swiftly by ordering a “rigorous re-examination” of asylum and green-card approvals for immigrants from certain countries — including Afghanistan — and pausing new immigration applications for Afghan nationals pending review. Law enforcement officials say this step is part of a broader effort to reassess security vetting procedures in light of the attack.
Meanwhile, the investigation led by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force remains ongoing. Authorities are analysing digital material retrieved during searches of the suspect’s properties, reviewing travel and financial records, and interrogating associates. They have not yet established a clear motive or verified any organisational or ideological links.
For the family, friends, and fellow service members of Specialist Beckstrom, the focus is on mourning and honouring a young life cut short while on duty. What began as a routine security patrol ended in tragedy, raising urgent questions about domestic security policy, military deployments in civilian settings, and the vetting process for asylum seekers. As the nation waits for answers, Beckstrom’s death stands as a stark reminder of the risks faced by those tasked with protecting the capital.