Andrew Wolfe’s story has unfolded like something between tragedy and a hard-won miracle. He’s a 24-year-old Staff Sergeant from Martinsburg, West Virginia, a member of the 167th Airlift Wing of the National Guard. He joined in 2019 and built a reputation as a disciplined, reliable airman — the kind of steady presence every unit hopes to have.
On November 26, 2025, Wolfe and fellow Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom were on patrol near Farragut Square, just a short walk from the White House. They were part of the large National Guard deployment sent to strengthen security across Washington, D.C. That ordinary patrol turned into chaos when a gunman — Rahmanullah Lakanwal — launched a sudden attack. Beckstrom was killed instantly, and Wolfe was left gravely wounded.
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. For days, his survival was uncertain. Much of the country followed each small medical update, hoping for something — anything — that signaled he might pull through.
Then the first signs appeared. Wolfe squeezed a nurse’s hand. He lifted his thumb. He managed to move his arms and legs. Doctors called it a fragile but promising turn.
Andrew Wolfe’s story has unfolded like something between tragedy and a hard-won miracle. He’s a 24-year-old Staff Sergeant from Martinsburg, West Virginia, a member of the 167th Airlift Wing of the National Guard. He joined in 2019 and built a reputation as a disciplined, reliable airman — the kind of steady presence every unit hopes to have.
On November 26, 2025, Wolfe and fellow Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom were on patrol near Farragut Square, just a short walk from the White House. They were part of the large National Guard deployment sent to strengthen security across Washington, D.C. That ordinary patrol turned into chaos when a gunman — Rahmanullah Lakanwal — launched a sudden attack. Beckstrom was killed instantly, and Wolfe was left gravely wounded.
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. For days, his survival was uncertain. Much of the country followed each small medical update, hoping for something — anything — that signaled he might pull through.
Then the first signs appeared. Wolfe squeezed a nurse’s hand. He lifted his thumb. He managed to move his arms and legs. Doctors called it a fragile but promising turn.
Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries.
Trump said Beckstrom is “watching over us from above.”
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who once assisted CIA missions during the U.S. occupation, has been detained in connection with the attack.
The president delivered his remarks at a rally at Mount Airy Casino Resort in the Poconos, Pennsylvania.