On November 26, 2025, two West Virginia National Guard members were ambushed while in uniform near the Farragut West Metro station in Washington, D.C., in a brazen, targeted attack that stunned the nation. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom later died from her wounds, and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition after being rushed to the hospital following the shooting. The facts of the attack and the identities of the victims have been confirmed by federal authorities and widely reported by national outlets.
The man accused of this cowardly assault has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States under humanitarian parole and had previously worked with U.S. partner forces in Afghanistan. Authorities are treating the attack as a potential act of terrorism and have filed serious charges, including first-degree murder, as investigators continue to piece together motive and background. This is not the kind of risk Americans should accept on our streets, especially when those risking their lives are our own Guardsmen protecting the capital.
Families and communities have rallied around the wounded Guardsman and the family of the fallen soldier, asking fellow citizens to pray for healing and justice during this dark time. West Virginia leaders have called for moments of silence and prayer, and the Wolfe family has publicly asked for continued prayer as their son fights for his life. In moments like this, faith and unity matter — and the outpouring of support for our troops shows the best of America, not the worst.
The shooting has rightly prompted immediate policy reactions from the highest levels of government, including a temporary halt to asylum decisions for certain cases while the circumstances are reviewed and promises to increase vetting. Conservative leaders and many citizens see this as a wake-up call: open‑border experiments have consequences when bad actors slip through the cracks, and the safety of Americans and our servicemembers must be the priority. Justice must be swift and severe for anyone who attacks our troops on American soil, and officials are reportedly pursuing the full measure of the law.
As seen on Christian broadcasts and echoed across faith communities, Americans are being asked to pray for Andrew Wolfe, to mourn Sarah Beckstrom, and to stand with the families who sacrificed so much for our liberty. We should also demand accountability from those who enabled dangerous policies and insist on reforms that protect our citizens and our servicemen and women. Now is the time to put politics aside, support our National Guard, and make clear that attacks on our people will be met with resolve, prayer, and unyielding American justice.
