A shocking attack shook Washington, D.C., on Wednesday when two National Guard members were shot while patrolling just a few blocks from the White House. The soldiers, part of a routine security patrol, were ambushed by a lone gunman.
Tragically, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom lost her life, and her colleague, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, remains critically injured in hospital. The attacker, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who came to the US in 2021, was wounded in the exchange and is now in custody.
Authorities are treating the incident as a possible act of terrorism. Multiple agencies, including the FBI, DHS, and ATF, are investigating how and why this happened. In the meantime, US immigration officials have paused new asylum applications for Afghan nationals as a precaution.
President Donald Trump called the shooting “an act of evil … a crime against our nation” and announced an additional 500 National Guard troops would be deployed in Washington to strengthen security.
Neighbors and colleagues described the scene as chaotic and heartbreaking, with many expressing shock that such violence could strike so close to the heart of the US capital.
Sarah Beckstrom’s death is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced daily by those who protect the country, and the need for vigilance even in familiar surroundings.
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