A West Virginia National Guard soldier wounded in a deadly shooting in Washington DC last month is on a slow path to recovery, the state's governor has confirmed.
The Attack and the Victims
Andrew Wolfe, aged 24, was shot in the head on 26 November 2025 while patrolling the US capital alongside fellow guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20. The pair were deployed to Washington DC as part of a controversial initiative by the Trump administration to place military personnel on city streets. Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries the following day, while Wolfe was hospitalised in critical condition.
In an update posted on Friday, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey stated that Wolfe's parents reported his head wound is "slowly healing" and that he is beginning to "look more like himself". The governor's statement indicated the family expects Wolfe to remain in acute care for another two to three weeks but remains optimistic about his progress.
The Suspect and Political Fallout
The alleged attacker, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was formally charged with first-degree murder and other crimes on Tuesday, 2 December. Lakanwal, from Afghanistan, entered the United States in 2021 following the US military withdrawal. He had previously worked with a CIA-linked Afghan counter-terrorism group known as the "Zero Unit".
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Trump administration announced a series of restrictive immigration measures. These included halting asylum processes for Afghan nationals and pausing immigration applications from 19 countries, citing the preceding Biden administration's policies. It was later revealed that Lakanwal was granted asylum in April 2025, during Donald Trump's second term.
Criticism of the Deployment
Governor Morrisey's decision to deploy the West Virginia National Guard to Washington DC has drawn criticism from state Democratic lawmakers. They argue the soldiers were placed unnecessarily in harm's way for what has been described as "political theatre". Reports from the city indicated deployed troops found little crime and were often assigned menial tasks like picking up litter.
West Virginia Democratic lawmaker Mike Pushkin told National Public Radio that Wolfe and Beckstrom—who joined the guard in 2019 and 2023 respectively—would not have been attacked "had it not been for the president calling in the national guard".
Lakanwal was shot by another guard soldier during the incident and appeared in court via video from his hospital bed. US Attorney General Pam Bondi has indicated more charges are likely and that prosecutors are considering seeking the death penalty. A tentative next court date has been set for 14 January 2026.
