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Before the West Virginia Mountaineers football team took on the No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders Saturday afternoon in Morgantown, the crowd shared a moment of silence for the two West Virginia National Guard soldiers who were shot in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
The public spokesman asked for silence from the crowd as they gathered to honor 24-year-old US Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe of Martinsburg and 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom of Webster Springs. Their pictures were displayed on the scoreboard during the moment of silence.
The two National Guardsmen were shot near the White House during their deployment in DC Spc. Beckstrom died from his injuries, while Staff Sgt. Wolfe remains in critical condition.
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West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez during the second quarter of a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Milan Puskar Stadium Nov. 29, 2025, in Morgantown. (Brien Aho/Getty Images)
The suspected shooter is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national.
The shooting happened in broad daylight and an eyewitness video has emerged showing the shooter, believed to be Lakanwal, wearing dark clothing, turning a corner with a revolver in hand as the guards take cover.
NEW VIDEO EMERGES OF DC NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING AS SOLIDER CLUGS TO LIFE
One of the guards was seen around a corner down a street and opened fire. Metro police say other National Guardsmen heard the shots about three blocks away from the White House and were able to detain Lakanwal after he was shot.
The shooter fired 10 to 15 rounds with a .357 revolver, according to federal charging documents cited by Reuters.
Lakanwal had entered the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden administration’s Afghan evacuation and resettlement program. Prosecutors say he traveled across the country shortly before the attack and had no prior criminal record.
Emergency personnel gather at a cordoned off area where National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Lakanwal is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department intends to seek the death penalty.
Beckstrom and Wolfe were among members of the West Virginia National Guard deployed to the DC area to tackle crime in the city in response to an order from President Donald Trump.
Rep. Riley Moore, RW.Va., told “FOX & Friends Weekend” Saturday that Wolfe is “hanging on,” adding that his family is asking for prayers.
“Andrew is fighting for his life right now, and his family and all his friends, they’re trying to gather as many prayers as they can from across the country, across the globe, to help him recover,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Saturday.
National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. Beckstrom died Thursday at a hospital. (United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“West Virginia cares a lot about its Guard. And there’s just a proud tradition of West Virginians moving up from military service. So when something like this happens, it’s really a blow to local communities.”
As for the Mountaineers’ play, they were not competitive against one of the best teams in the country. The Red Raiders beat them, 49-0, to move to 11-1 on the year. West Virginia finished its season 4-8.
Pakinomist’ Michael Dorgan, Greg Norman and Madeleine Rivera added to this report.
