Select Language:
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that a member of the National Guard has been killed in an ambush by an Afghan national near the White House, an attack sparking criticism from his administration regarding immigration vetting failures during the Biden administration and leading to a thorough review of asylum processes.
Sarah Beckstrom, aged 20, succumbed to her injuries, while her fellow Guardsman, Andrew Wolfe, 24, was fighting for his life, Trump stated. Authorities are conducting a terrorism investigation following the incident on Wednesday.
Multiple properties, including a residence in Washington State linked to the suspect, have been searched as part of an expanding investigation. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was reportedly part of a CIA-supported unit in Afghanistan before arriving in the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement program. Electronic devices such as phones and laptops were seized from his home, and relatives were interviewed, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C., Jeanine Pirro, explained that the suspect traveled cross-country and ambushed the Guardsmen during their patrol near the White House on Wednesday afternoon.
Trump expressed strong outrage about the attack, emphasizing its horror and the importance of controlling who enters and stays in the U.S., especially in light of recent security breaches. The gunman, equipped with a .357 Magnum revolver, shot one Guardsman as he fell, then continued firing at the second until exchanged fire with officers, resulting in his own injury. The suspect is currently hospitalized under heavy guard, with Trump reporting his condition as serious.
The perpetrator, living in Washington State with his wife and five children, appears to have acted alone, according to Jeff Carroll, an assistant chief with the Washington Metropolitan Police Department.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
