Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were seriously wounded Wednesday afternoon in a shooting just blocks from the White House, and authorities have identified the suspect and released new information about his background and the U.S. response.
The victims — 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe and a 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, both newly sworn in — were on “high-visibility patrol” near the entrance to the Farragut West station subway when a gunman suddenly opened fire around 2:15 p.m. local time. The suspect, later identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Operation Allies Welcome program.
Both wounded soldiers underwent surgery and remain in critical condition, according to the federal authorities handling the case. The investigation is now being treated as a potential act of terrorism.
Law enforcement says Lakanwal acted alone, prompting a rapid response in which other Guard troops subdued and wounded him. He is currently in custody and receiving medical treatment. Authorities on Thursday said he drove from Washington state where he resides to D.C. to perpetrate the attack, but that Lakanwal was in the U.S. with no criminal record and with a history of assisting U.S. intelligence agencies in Afghanistan during the conflict.
Authorities have yet to release a motive for the incident.
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In response, the federal government has taken immediate actions. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has paused all new immigration applications from Afghan nationals indefinitely, pending a full review of vetting and security protocols. The White House ordered 500 additional National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., bringing the total to more than 2,000 — a controversial expansion, especially as the deployment was already subject to legal challenge by local city officials.
“The hearts of all Americans tonight are with those two members of the West Virginia National Guard and their families…
We will make America totally safe again, and we will bring the perpetrator of this barbaric attack to swift and certain justice.” — President Trump pic.twitter.com/zOkJGZyGmk
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 27, 2025
Local leaders called the attack a “targeted shooting.” The incident, coming as holiday tourists descend on the capital, has heightened security and raised fresh questions about domestic troop deployments, immigration policy and public safety.
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