Recovery Update: National Guardsman on the Mend Post Shooting in DC

Sat Dec 06 2025 22:16:56 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Following a tragic shooting, National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe is showing signs of recovery while his family remains hopeful amidst the turmoil.

Andrew Wolfe, a 24-year-old National Guardsman, is slowly healing from severe injuries sustained in a shooting in Washington DC. His parents report progress as they continue to seek support and prayers from the community. The incident, which resulted in the death of his colleague, has significant implications for local safety measures and national policies.

A National Guardsman is on the mend after he was critically injured in an ambush-style shooting last month in Washington DC.

The parents of Andrew Wolfe, 24, say his head wound is slowly healing and that he's beginning to 'look more like himself,' said West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey.

The family expects the Air Force staff sergeant to be in acute care for the next two to three weeks, and they feel optimistic about his progress, said the governor in a statement.

Staff Sgt Wolfe was one of two West Virginia National Guard members shot when a gunman opened fire not far from the White House on 26 November. His colleague, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, died from her injuries.

We continue to ask all West Virginians and Americans for their prayers! the governor said in his statement. Morrisey attended a vigil on Friday evening for Staff Sgt Wolfe at Musselman High School in Inwood, West Virginia, where the guardsman was once a student.

A pastor at the vigil read a message from the soldier's parents, Jason and Melody Wolfe.

We know that there is a long road to go, they wrote, according to local news outlet Metro News. But our faith keeps us hopeful. We remain grateful for the prayers and the support from people all over the world.

Earlier in the week, the governor said Staff Sgt Wolfe had responded to a nurse with a thumbs-up and was able to move his toes.

Police have charged the suspected shooter, an Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal, with first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill. Before coming to the US in 2021, he was once a counterterrorism soldier in a CIA-backed unit that worked with American troops in Afghanistan.

The Trump administration has also cited the shooting as a reason for additional immigration crackdown measures. They have canceled all citizenship ceremonies for immigrants from 19 countries that were part of a travel ban announced over the summer, including Afghanistan.