Video shows National Guard ambush attack near White House in Washington DC
New video of DC National Guard attack emerges
Fox News’ Madeleine Rivera joins “Saturday in America” with new details in Washington, D.C., the shooting of two National Guard members and the Trump administration’s move to pause issuing visas to Afghanistan passport holders.
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Dramatic eyewitness video has emerged showing the moment two National Guard members were ambushed in a brazen daytime attack in Washington, D.C., leaving one soldier dead and the other fighting for his life.
Footage taken by an eyewitness in a passing vehicle, Wall Street MagazineIt shows the man, alleged to be 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, holding what appears to be a gun as two Guardsmen scramble for cover.
A Guard can then be seen running around a corner in the street and returning fire.
The horrific scene, which occurred about three blocks north of the White House, shows Lakanwal raising his arm. Seconds later, two West Virginia National Guard members were fired upon, media reported.
Screenshots show National Guard members scrambling for cover and returning fire during an ambush near the Farragut West Metro station in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday (Taken from Wall Street Journal)
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The video then briefly shows the fallen troops lying on the pavement. The incident, which shook the country, occurred around 2:15 p.m. on 17th Street NW near the Farragut West Metro Station.
The shooter fired 10 to 15 rounds from a .357 pistol, according to federal charging documents cited. Reuters.
One of the Guardsmen returned fire, hitting the suspect and ending the ambush, police said.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom died from her injuries on Thursday, while Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition.
Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 as part of Operation Allied Welcome, the Biden administration’s Afghan evacuation and resettlement program. Prosecutors say the man had traveled across the country shortly before the attack and had no prior criminal record.
He now faces charges including first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department intends to seek the death penalty.
National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Beckstrom died in the hospital on Thursday. (United States Attorney for the District of Columbia/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Beckstrom and Wolfe are members of the West Virginia National Guard, who were sent to the nation’s capital to fight crime in the city following an executive order from President Donald Trump earlier this year.
Rep. Riley Moore, RW.Va., told “FOX & Friends Weekend” on Saturday that Wolfe was “waiting,” adding that his family was calling for prayers.
“His father was a deputy sheriff in the county next to mine, and Andy wanted to follow him. [those] “Follow in his footsteps and serve your country as a National Guardsman,” Moore told “FOX & Friends Weekend.”
“Andy’s hanging on. And he’s a fighter, and his family has told me over and over again that he’s a fighter,” Moore added. “But what they want here, first of all, is for everyone to keep praying. I believe in the power of prayer, and I can promise you that her parents believe in the power of prayer too… Please keep praying.”
Streets were closed following reports that two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Anthony Peltier)
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West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey also told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Saturday: “Andrew is fighting for his life right now, and his family and all of his friends are trying to gather as many prayers as possible from all over the country, from all over the world, to help him recover.”
Morrisey said Wolfe’s condition “remains very serious” as of Saturday.
“West Virginia cares so deeply about its Guard. And we have a proud tradition of West Virginians separating from military service. So when something like this happens, it’s really a gut punch to communities,” Morrisey added.
“Most importantly, we need justice to be served. That’s very important. I think West Virginians are counting on that. That’s what Americans are counting on,” he told Fox News.
