By Frank Ulom
WASHINGTON, DC (CONVERSEER) – A United States National Guard member, Sarah Beckstrom, has died from gunshot injuries sustained during an ambush near the Farragut West Metro Station in Washington, DC. The 20-year-old, who was shot in the chest and head, passed away on Thursday, with President Donald Trump announcing her death during his Thanksgiving address.
The attack occurred on Wednesday when Beckstrom and a colleague were ambushed by a man identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal. The West Virginia National Guard members had been deployed near the White House for routine security duties when the gunman opened fire with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. Other guard members immediately returned fire, injuring the suspect.
Beckstrom had remained in critical condition following the incident. Her father, Gary Beckstrom, told The New York Times on Thanksgiving Day that he feared she would not survive her wounds. Speaking from her bedside, he said she had suffered a “mortal wound”.
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During his address, President Trump described the soldier’s death as a national tragedy, stating that she was “no longer with us”.
The US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, said Beckstrom had voluntarily taken the holiday shift to allow her colleagues to spend Thanksgiving with their families. She noted that several guardsmen who did the same were now fighting for their lives in hospital.
Authorities say Lakanwal, 29, allegedly lay in wait for the soldiers before carrying out the attack. Investigators are treating the incident as a possible targeted terrorist act. Prosecutors are expected to file first-degree murder charges along with several other offences.
According to a relative who spoke with NBC News, Lakanwal previously served in the Afghan Army in Kandahar, where he supported US Special Forces. He arrived in the United States during the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, applied for asylum in December 2024 and was granted approval on 23 April 2025. Officials say he had no known criminal history.
The investigation is ongoing.
