The day before Thanksgiving, a violent attack on two young National Guardsmen in the heart of the nation’s capital reignited an uncomfortable but unavoidable question: how many tragedies must unfold before leaders in Washington take border integrity and public safety seriously? U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday prosecutors will seek the death penalty against the man accused of attacking two National Guardsmen shot in the nation’s capital the day before Thanksgiving. Speaking on Fox News, she was unequivocal about the stakes. “I will tell you early, we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country,” she said. Her comments underscored a growing frustration felt across the country—that everyday Americans and uniformed service members continue paying the price for decisions made by a federal bureaucracy more focused on political optics than common-sense security.
The suspected shooter, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the hasty resettlement initiative launched after the Afghanistan withdrawal. Authorities said he opened fire on the Guardsmen near the Farragut West Metro Station, just blocks from the White House. As details emerged, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro offered a blunt assessment of the case. Charges currently include multiple counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, but “if either of the Guardsmen does not survive, he will face first-degree murder charges, according to the U.S. attorney,” the Breitbart News article read. Bondi appeared to clarify that “if something happens” to the guardsmen, who remain in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery, prosecutors will seek the death penalty, per Breitbart News. The victims were identified as 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, both from West Virginia—two young Americans who had been sworn in less than 24 hours before the attack.
News from the victims’ families has been devastating. Beckstrom’s father told the New York Times, “She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery.” For many, his words cut to the heart of the broader issue: a preventable tragedy carried out by an individual who, by all logic and all accountability standards, should never have been allowed to slip through the cracks of a rushed, poorly vetted resettlement program. The situation has further fueled concerns that Washington continues to prioritize political narratives over the basic duty of protecting its own citizens and uniformed personnel. The notion that two newly sworn-in National Guardsmen—representing the very people tasked with maintaining order and security—were left vulnerable to an avoidable threat has deeply resonated with Americans who believe national security begins with disciplined immigration policy and a government that takes its responsibilities seriously.
In his national address following the attack, President Donald Trump captured both the grief and the gravity of the moment. “This heinous assault was an act of evil and act of hatred and an act of terror. It was a crime against our entire nation. It was a crime against humanity. Americans tonight are with those two West Virginian National Guard and their families.” His words reflected a widespread sentiment: that this attack wasn’t just a random act of violence—it was the kind of tragedy that emerges when security is treated as an afterthought and when the federal government allows avoidable risks to take root on American soil. As the investigation continues, the incident has become a sobering reminder that national security begins with firm borders, rigorous vetting, and a government willing to put the safety of its citizens—and its service members—above all else.
