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Rahmanullah Lakanwal facing further charges after Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from ‘mortal wound’ sustained in Wednesday’s attack. Fellow Guard Andrew Wolfe, 24, is still in a criticial condition in hospital
Ariana Baio,Mike Bedigan,Arpan Rai,Joe SommerladFriday 28 November 2025 15:33 GMT
CloseDonald Trump announces death of National Guard member after Washington shooting
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U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has announced that National Guard shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal will face a first-degree murder charge after Sarah Beckstrom, one of the soldiers wounded in the “savage” gun attack on a Metro station in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, died of her injuries.
Lakanwal was previously charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
President Donald Trump announced Beckstrom’s death at a Thanksgiving press conference Thursday evening, calling her a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” and “outstanding in every way.”
“She’s just passed away,” the president said. “She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. She was savagely attacked, she’s dead now.”
Andrew Wolfe, the other Guard shot in the incident, is still “fighting for his life” and “in very bad shape,” Trump said. “Hopefully we’ll get better news with respect to him.”
Lakanwal, the suspected shooter, is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021. He was living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children and working as a delivery driver, according to officials.
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Key Points
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announces upgraded charges against National Guard shooting suspect
- Donald Trump announces wounded Sarah Beckstrom has died of injuries
- President boasts about his electoral record in West Virginia when asked about attending Beckstrom’s funeral
- Trump declares pause on migration from ‘Third World Countries’ in Thanksgiving message
- Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal struggled with ‘pressure’ of violence he saw in Afghanistan
White House social media account labels Trump's latest anti-immigrant rant 'one of the most important messages ever'
Trump’s vitriolic late-night Thanksgiving message on Truth Social unloaded on Governor Tim Walz (whom the president called a highly offensive slur for people with intellectual disabilities), claimed Somalians are roaming streets looking for “prey” and vowed to impose sweeping restrictions on immigration.
A social media account serving as the White House rapid response communications channel called the rant “one of the most important messages ever” from the president.
Alex Woodward28 November 2025 15:33West Virginia flies flags at half-staff following death of National Guard service member
Flags in West Virginia are flying at at half-staff and the state is holding a moment of silence or prayer at 2:15 p.m. ET in honor of West Virginia Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe.
“These two West Virginia heroes were serving our country and protecting our nation’s capital when they were maliciously attacked,” Governor Patrick Morrisey said Friday.
Alex Woodward28 November 2025 15:16National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom volunteered to work in DC over Thanksgiving
Sarah Beckstrom, the 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard member killed in Wednesday’s attack, had volunteered to work in DC over Thanksgiving, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“She volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families, yet now their families are in hospital rooms with them while they are fighting for their lives,” Bondi told Fox News Thursday.
Beckstrom, of Summersville, West Virginia, first began her service on June 26, 2023, and was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade, West Virginia Army National Guard.
Alex Woodward28 November 2025 15:03U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announces upgraded charges against National Guard shooting suspect
As anticipated, Pirro has announced on Fox News this morning that Rahmanullah Lakanwal will face a first-degree murder charge, upgraded from three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, following the tragic death of Sarah Beckstrom.
Here’s the latest from Alex Woodward.
National Guard shooting suspect to face first-degree murder charge
US Attorney for DC says ‘many more charges to come’ following death of service member Sarah BeckstromJoe Sommerlad28 November 2025 14:40Recap: Donald Trump announces National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom has died of injuries
If you’re just joining us, President Donald Trump announced last night that National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, who was shot outside of a Washington, D.C., Metro station in in a “savage” gun attack Wednesday, has died of her injuries.
“Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen that we’re talking about, highly respected, young, magnificent person, started service in June of 2023 outstanding in every way. She’s just passed away,” Trump said in a Thanksgiving call to service members from his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, last night.
“She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. She was savagely attacked, she’s dead now.”
Andrew Wolfe, the other soldier shot in the incident, is still “fighting for his life,” the president said, adding: “He’s in very bad shape... hopefully we’ll get better news with respect to him.”
Trump announces death of National Guard member after Washington shootingJoe Sommerlad28 November 2025 14:25Watch: Trump rebukes another female reporter at press conference for asking about vetting of shooter
Trump blasts female reporter for being 'stupid' after questioning him on DC shootingJoe Sommerlad28 November 2025 13:55‘Pray for my son’: Father’s plea for DC shooting victim fighting for life after fellow soldier’s death
Jason Wolfe, Andrew Wolfe’s father, asked people to “pray for my son” when he briefly spoke to the media.
Owen Scott has more on the victims.
Father’s plea for DC shooting victim fighting for life after fellow guardsman’s death
National guardsman Andrew Wolfe is still in critical condition after Wednesday’s shooting. The president confirmed that his colleague Sarah Beckstrom has now died from her injuriesJoe Sommerlad28 November 2025 13:30Marco Rubio: ‘My heart is heavy’
Here’s the secretary of state’s reaction to the sad news about Sarah Beckstrom, the 20-year-old National Guard soldier who has died of her injuries.
Joe Sommerlad28 November 2025 12:50Pam Bondi pledges to pursue death penalty
Yesterday, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, announced that Rahmanullah Lakanwal will be charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
Sarah Beckstrom’s death now means a first-degree murder charge is likely to be added.
This is what the AG has had to say about the Justice Department’s intentions going forward.
Joe Sommerlad28 November 2025 12:30Inside Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s journey from CIA-backed strike unit in Afghanistan to suspect in DC shooting
Here’s our latest look at the suspect in the case, who was part of a CIA-backed unit in Afghanistan before coming to America.
