While we hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends, unfortunately, there is still evil in this world, and we saw it strike on Wednesday as two National Guard members were shot in an ambush-style attack by an Afghan national terrorist here in this country illegally.
Twenty-year-old Sarah Beckstrom is one of the two who was struck, and on Thursday, her heartbroken father spoke to the New York Times and gave a tragic update.
The devastated dad of one of the National Guard members gunned down in a suspected terror attack has revealed that she will not survive her injuries.
Sarah Beckstrom’s father, Gary, provided the update on Thursday, just one day after his daughter was shot in Washington, DC.
‘She has a mortal wound, it’s not going to be a recovery,’ he told the New York Times, speaking from her bedside. ‘I’m holding her hand right now.’
🚨 BREAKING: 20 Year Old WV National Guard Hero Sarah Beckstrom Fighting Mortal Wound After Afghan Jihadist Ambush.
Father Gary: “I’m Holding Her Hand… It’s Not Going To Be A Recovery”
Pray Hard For This Warrior And Her Family.
Death Penalty NOW. pic.twitter.com/lYOc5aJyom
— Leading Wire (@LeadingWire) November 27, 2025
Relatives of the other soldier, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, have not spoken publicly, but a person at his house asked for prayers, according to the Times:
“All we need right now are prayers for my son,” a man at the home of Andrew Wolfe, one of the wounded Guard members, told a reporter. He declined to speak more.
Before you eat Thanksgiving dinner with your families & friends, please say a prayer for wounded National Guard heroes Andrew Wolfe & Sarah Beckstrom, as well as their loved ones. All Americans should give thanks for their bravery & courage. 🇺🇸🙏 pic.twitter.com/eur6xCrc1T
— Tom Sileo (@TSileo) November 27, 2025
SEE: Update: New Details Revealed As Officials Hold Morning Presser on D.C. National Guard Shooting
As RedState’s Susie Moore reported earlier Thursday, new developments are occurring at a fast pace as authorities try to determine why the suspect carried out this heinous act:
According to Pirro, both guardsmen have undergone surgery and are in critical condition. Their families are with them.
The alleged shooter, who has since been identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who came to the U.S. in September 2021 in the aftermath of the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, acted as a lone gunman. He used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver.
Per Pirro, the shooter struck one of the guards, then leaned over and shot that guard again before shooting the other guard. She did not specify the number of times each guard was shot, but did note that the .357 is a six-shooter.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving, but take a moment to say a prayer for these two patriotic souls who did not deserve this. Let’s hope for a miracle.
