National Guard Members to Receive Purple Hearts After DC Shooting Near White House

National Guard Members to Receive Purple Hearts After DC Ambush

Two West Virginia National Guard members, Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, will receive the Purple Heart for injuries sustained during an ambush-style attack near the White House in November, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Friday.

Hegseth made the announcement during a National Guard reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument, where he administered the oath of enlistment to over 100 Guardsmen from nine states serving in Washington, D.C. He described the November 26th incident as “a terrible thing” and stated the troops were “attacked by a radical.”

“Andrew Wolfe, Sarah Beckstrom, one lost, one recovered, thank God, in miraculous ways. Both soon to be Purple Heart recipients because they were attacked by a radical,” Hegseth said, according to a report from Fox News.

This marks the first public confirmation from Hegseth that the service members will be awarded the Purple Heart, a military decoration awarded to those wounded or killed by enemy action. The Purple Heart’s origins trace back to the American Revolution, when George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit in 1782.

Beckstrom, 20, died a day after the shooting. Wolfe, 24, was seriously wounded and is continuing to recover. The shooting occurred just blocks from the White House.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, has been charged with nine counts related to the shooting, including first-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed, and has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors may seek the death penalty in the case.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey expressed gratitude to Hegseth for the announcement, stating the recognition was long overdue. He formally requested the Purple Heart awards on December 19th, adding that the 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.”

Hegseth described the National Guard’s ongoing security mission in the nation’s capital as “front lines” duty, addressing the Guardsmen at the reenlistment ceremony. More than 2,600 National Guard members are currently deployed in Washington, D.C., at the direction of President Donald Trump, supporting the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which was established in August 2025 after a declared crime emergency in the city.

The Army has not yet provided comment on the matter.