West Virginia high school remembers slain National Guard member as caring and willing to help

President Donald Trump has invited the families of two National Guard members involved in a shooting incident near the White House to the White House, following the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and the critical injury of 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe. The shooting occurred on November 26, 2025, and has prompted widespread mourning and vigils in West Virginia.

An Afghan immigrant, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly shot and critically injured two members of the West Virginia National Guard near the White House on November 26, 2025. Prior to this incident, advocates had raised concerns about Lakanwal's mental health, indicating he was 'not functional as a person' and that his mental health crisis had gone unaddressed for over a year.

President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of David Gentile, a former private equity executive who was convicted of defrauding investors in a $1.6 billion scheme. Gentile had begun serving a seven-year sentence before this decision was made public.

Mourners gathered at a West Virginia high school to honor Sarah Beckstrom, a National Guard member who was fatally shot in a targeted attack in Washington, D.C. last week. Beckstrom was remembered as a caring individual who dedicated her life to helping others, reflecting the profound loss felt by her community.

Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were critically injured in a shooting incident near the White House, leading Trump allies Alina Habba and Tom Homan to criticize the Biden administration's immigration policies as an 'absolute failure.' The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, had entered the U.S. during the 2021 airlift.

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) expressed concerns regarding a reported follow-up strike on two survivors of an initial U.S. attack in the Caribbean in September, suggesting it could constitute a war crime. In an interview with ABC News, he stated, 'I think it's very possible there was a war crime committed.'

On November 26, 2025, an Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly shot and critically injured two members of the West Virginia National Guard near the White House in Washington, D.C. Senator Chris Van Hollen stated there is no evidence of vetting system failures in Lakanwal's case during an interview on ABC News.

The Trump administration has announced an indefinite halt on immigration from Afghanistan following a shooting incident near the White House that left one National Guard member dead and another critically injured. The suspected shooter, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, reportedly entered the U.S. during the 2021 airlift. This incident has raised significant concerns regarding security and immigration policies.