Tragic Shooting of National Guardsmen in Washington DC

Sun Nov 30 2025 21:25:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A recent shooting incident near the White House has left one National Guardsman dead and another critically injured. The attack was described by officials as a targeted assault, leading President Trump to deploy additional troops for security.

On Wednesday, two members of the National Guard were shot in Washington DC, with one later succumbing to injuries and the other in a critical condition. The attack was described as an ambush by the assailant, an Afghan national, who has been arrested. In response, President Trump announced the deployment of additional National Guard troops to the city.

Two members of the National Guard were shot and seriously wounded on Wednesday just blocks from the White House in Washington DC.

One died on Thursday while the second remains in critical condition, US President Donald Trump said. The suspect, an Afghan national, is in custody.

In response to the attack, Trump said he would deploy another 500 troops to the streets of the nation's capital.

Just after 14:00EST on Wednesday, the two Guardsmen were shot at close range near Farragut Square. They were conducting a high-visibility patrol at the time.

Metropolitan Police stated that the suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, ambushed the soldiers. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser called the incident targeted.

Lakanwal, aged 29, arrived in the US under Operation Allies Welcome. He is reported to not be co-operating with authorities and will face charges including assault with intent to kill.

The victims have been named as Sarah Beckstrom, 20, who sadly died, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, who remains critically injured. They were in DC to support public safety during the Thanksgiving holiday.