U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro delivered a stark update this week on the ambush-style shooting near the White House that left two West Virginia National Guard members critically wounded and later claimed the life of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom. The attack happened on November 26 as guardsmen were performing duties to help secure the city, and Pirro made clear federal prosecutors are treating the case with the utmost seriousness and urgency. Americans deserve a government that protects those who wear the uniform, and Pirro’s briefing was a necessary, no-nonsense response to a violent act on our soil.
The two victims were identified as Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, with Beckstrom tragically succumbing to her injuries and Wolfe remaining hospitalized in critical condition after surgery. Pirro announced initial charges of assault with intent to kill and warned prosecutors will pursue first-degree murder and the death penalty if warranted by the victims’ outcomes, signaling that justice will not be left to political softness. This is not a time for equivocation or legal loopholes — it is a time to stand firmly with the families and demand accountability.
Authorities have identified the accused as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who arrived in the United States during the resettlement efforts following the withdrawal from Afghanistan and reportedly drove from Washington state to carry out the attack. Reports indicate he had prior paramilitary training in Afghanistan and lived in Bellingham with his family before allegedly traveling cross-country to target American servicemembers in the nation’s capital. These facts raise urgent questions about vetting, monitoring, and the national-security consequences of poorly managed resettlement programs.
Conservative Americans see this tragedy as proof positive that open-ended admission policies without proper vetting invite unacceptable risk, and political leaders must answer plainly and immediately. President Trump and other officials have called for stricter measures and a pause on admissions from problematic sources, and the public debate over immigration safety measures is no longer abstract — it is painfully real for the families of those who were wounded and killed. We should demand robust reforms that protect citizens without surrendering compassion for lawful, vetted refugees.
Pirro’s pointed rebuke of a reporter who suggested the Guardsmen “should not have been there” was the kind of backbone Americans expect from prosecutors defending the rule of law and honoring service members. Law-abiding citizens who put themselves between danger and civilians deserve respect, not cheap political takes that excuse violence and second-guess the deployment of brave men and women. Local and federal law enforcement deserve our gratitude for subduing the attacker and ensuring the wheels of justice are turning swiftly.
Now is the time for clear, practical steps: overhaul the vetting systems that allowed a known paramilitary-trained individual into communities without adequate oversight, ensure the families of the fallen are supported, and give federal prosecutors the resources they need to pursue the maximum penalties under the law. Jeanine Pirro’s promise to prosecute fully is the right first step; the rest of our leaders must match that resolve with policy changes that keep America safe. Our soldiers stood in harm’s way to defend this city — the nation must stand in full force behind them and demand accountability.
