Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, one of the two National Guard members involved in a "targeted" shooting, has died at the age of 20, President Donald Trump announced during a phone call with U.S. troops on Thursday (November 27) via NBC News.

“I heard that Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen that we’re talking about — highly respected, young, magnificent person, started service in June of 2023 outstanding in every way — she’s just passed away, she’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now,” Trump said.

Beckstrom's death came hours after her father, Gary, said she wasn't expected to survive after being reported to be in critical condition.

“She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery,” Gary told the New York Times.

“I’m holding her hand right now,” he added.

Sarah was reportedly shot in the head and chest during an incident that took place nearby the White House on Wednesday (November 26) afternoon. Officials also identified the second victim in critical condition as 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, who was also deployed to Washington, D.C., and serving on patrol prior to the shooting.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national, was identified as the shooter, officials and a relative confirmed via NBC News. Lakanwal was also shot during the incident and is also hospitalized, according to authorities.

The incident is believed to be a targeted shooting. A relative said that Lakanwal arrived in the United States in September 2021, having previously served 10 years in the Afghan army alongside U.S. Special Forces troops, which included being stationed at a base in Kandahar.

“We were the ones that were targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan,” the relative said, specifying that he and Lakanwal were supporting U.S. troops.

“I cannot believe it that he might do this,” he added.

Lakanwal came to the U.S. five months after former President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which resulted in the Taliban reclaiming power in the country. Lakanwal, who grew up in the Khost province, was reportedly living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children prior to the shooting and worked for Amazon and Amazon Flex when the relative had last spoken to him several months prior.

“I don’t know what happened,” the relative told NBC News. “I need your help to know why this happened.”

Florida Roundtable