‘It’s Not Going to Be a Recovery’: Father of National Guard Shooting Victim Reveals

One day after a targeted shooting near the White House critically injured two newly sworn-in National Guardsmen, the father of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom revealed that she is unlikely to survive her injuries.

According to the New York Times, Gary Beckstrom said his daughter was unlikely to survive. “I’m holding her hand right now,” he told the outlet by phone. “She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery.” 

The incident took place Wednesday around 2:15 p.m. near the entrance of the Farragut West Metro Station in Washington, DC, triggering a temporary lockdown of the White House. Authorities say the suspected gunman, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is in custody following the ambush-style attack.

According to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro, Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe were both uniformed members of the West Virginia National Guard, deployed under President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at securing the nation’s capital. Both soldiers had been sworn in less than 24 hours prior to the attack.

Pirro stated that Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. in September 2021 under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, carried out the attack using a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. She described the shooting as targeted, noting that Lakanwal drove across the country from his residence in Bellingham, Washington, specifically to reach the capital.

“One guardsman is struck, goes down, and then the shooter leans over and strikes the guardsman again,” Pirro stated during a Thanksgiving morning press conference. According to Pirro, “another guardsman is struck several times.” Both Beckstrom and Wolfe “remain in critical condition” after having undergone surgery.

The suspected shooter remains hospitalized under heavy guard. Pirro indicated that the charges against Lakanwal currently include three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. These charges may be elevated to first-degree murder if either victim succumbs to their injuries.

President Trump condemned the attack as “a crime against our nation” and called for renewed scrutiny of the immigration vetting process, particularly for individuals brought into the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome. According to Trump, Lakanwal’s status had been extended by legislation signed during the Biden presidency. “Nobody knew who was coming in,” he remarked in a national address Wednesday evening.