Photo: Heather Diehl / Getty Images News / Getty Images
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, a 24-year-old National Guardsman, is being hailed as a "miracle" after surviving a shooting near the White House on November 26. Wolfe, who remains hospitalized, can now open both eyes, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. The shooting also claimed the life of Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, who was killed in the attack.
The shooting occurred near Farragut Square in Washington, D.C., when Wolfe and Beckstrom were shot at close range. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, has been arrested and initially charged with assault. However, the charges have been upgraded to first-degree murder following Beckstrom's death.
Attorney General Bondi described Wolfe's condition as critical but improving. She mentioned that Wolfe's family, including his parents, siblings, and niece, are by his side at the hospital. Bondi stated, "He's a miracle. From day one, his mother, Melody, said, 'My son is going to live. My son is going to be 100%.'" Bondi also noted that Wolfe has no blood clots and has a long recovery ahead, but hopes for a full recovery remain strong.
The shooting has sparked discussions on national security and immigration policies. The suspect, Lakanwal, came to the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021 under a special immigration program. His actions have led to renewed debates on immigration vetting processes.
"This was someone that the Biden administration, the monster, let into our country, let him walk into this country with little or no vetting, just like all these Somalis that Obama did who are committing crimes throughout our country," Bondi said about the suspect. "And under Donald Trump, it's going to stop. We're going to find them, we're going to prosecute them, and they will be deported as well."
Bondi has expressed the Department of Justice's intention to seek the death penalty for Lakanwal.
President Donald Trump met with Wolfe's family at the White House on Thursday (December 4).