National Guard Members Shot in DC Will Receive Purple Hearts
•February 9, 2026
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Why It Matters
Awarding the Purple Heart underscores the military’s commitment to honor service members wounded on domestic soil, while the incident highlights heightened security concerns and political scrutiny of National Guard deployments in Washington, D.C.
Key Takeaways
- •Pentagon awards Purple Hearts to Wolfe and Beckstrom.
- •Attack occurred during Thanksgiving patrol near White House.
- •Suspect Lakanwal, Afghan national, faces death penalty.
- •Trump pledged extra troops after the shooting.
- •West Virginia governor requested medals, calling honor overdue.
Pulse Analysis
The decision to present Purple Hearts to Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and the late Spc. Sarah Beckstrom marks a rare instance of the nation’s highest combat wound award being applied to a domestic incident. Historically reserved for enemy‑action casualties abroad, the medal’s extension to a Washington, D.C., ambush signals a broader interpretation of "enemy action" that includes radicalized actors on U.S. soil. This move not only offers solace to the families but also reinforces the symbolic value of military honors in maintaining morale among National Guard units tasked with homeland security.
Legal proceedings against the alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, have quickly escalated, with federal prosecutors seeking the death penalty. Lakanwal’s background—decades of experience with CIA‑backed Afghan units before immigrating in 2021—adds a complex layer to the narrative, fueling debates over vetting processes for refugees and the potential for foreign‑trained operatives to exploit domestic vulnerabilities. The case serves as a litmus test for the Justice Department’s capacity to balance swift accountability with due process in high‑profile terrorism‑related trials.
Politically, the shooting has reignited discussions about the appropriate scale of National Guard presence in the capital. Former President Donald Trump leveraged the incident to justify a pledge of 500 additional troops, framing the event as evidence of a broader crime wave. While the Guard’s deployment is slated to continue through year‑end, lawmakers and security experts are now weighing the long‑term implications for civil‑military relations and resource allocation. The Purple Heart awards, therefore, sit at the intersection of honor, policy, and public perception, shaping how future domestic threats may be addressed and commemorated.
National Guard members shot in DC will receive Purple Hearts
The Pentagon will award the Purple Heart to Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and posthumously to Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, two members of the West Virginia National Guard who were fired upon in an ambush-style shooting just blocks from the White House in November.
Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her wounds on Nov. 27, while Wolfe, 24, underwent surgery for a gunshot to the head and has since made “extraordinary progress,” according to the National Guard. The fatal attack occurred the day before Thanksgiving during a routine patrol outside of a Washington, D.C., Metro station.
“One lost, one recovered,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Friday during a reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument. “Both soon-to-be Purple Heart recipients because they were attacked by a radical.”
Communities honor West Virginia National Guard members shot in DC
The Purple Heart is presented to service members who have been wounded or killed by enemy action while serving in the U.S. military. Hegseth added that medals will also be given to those who responded in that moment — which he described as “the real-deal; it’s the front lines.”
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old suspected gunman, has been arraigned on nine charges, including first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill. He has pleaded not guilty. Lakanwal is an Afghan national who immigrated to the United States in 2021 after having previously worked for more than a decade with C.I.A.-backed units in Afghanistan.
The Department of Justice said it will seek the death penalty against him.
The troops were deployed to Washington as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on purportedly “out of control” crime in the nation’s capital. Trump called the attack on Beckstrom and Wolfe an “act of terror,” and pledged to send 500 additional troops to Washington. The Guard is expected to remain through the end of the year, U.S. officials told Military Times.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who formally requested the medals in December, hailed the Pentagon’s decision as a “long-overdue honor.”
“Their actions while protecting our nation’s capital meet the highest standards for this recognition,” Morrisey wrote in a post on X. “This announcement brings long-overdue honor to their service, offers meaning and reassurance to their families, and stands as a solemn reminder that West Virginia will never forget those who sacrifice in defense of others.”
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