SHOCKING Attack Nobody Saw Coming — Inside Job

Two American heroes serving on home soil are finally receiving the recognition they deserve after a brutal ambush by an Afghan national who entered the U.S. during the chaotic Biden-era withdrawal exposed the deadly consequences of failed vetting policies.

Story Highlights

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announces Purple Hearts for two West Virginia National Guard members ambushed in Washington, D.C. by Afghan national with CIA ties
Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from head wounds; Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, survived critical injuries and faces skull reconstruction surgery in March 2026
Attacker Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, entered U.S. in 2021 as CIA collaborator, now faces nine federal charges including first-degree murder with prosecutors seeking death penalty
FBI determination of terrorist propaganda motive enables rare domestic Purple Heart award for troops deployed under Trump’s D.C. crime emergency declaration

Heroes Honored After Deadly Ambush

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed on February 6, 2026, that two West Virginia National Guard members will receive Purple Hearts following a November 26, 2025 ambush near Washington D.C.’s Farragut Square Metro Station. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her head wounds the day after the attack. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, survived critical head injuries and continues recovery with skull reconstruction surgery scheduled for March 2026. The announcement came during a reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument, where Hegseth emphasized both service members were “attacked by a radical” while protecting the nation’s capital.

Attack Details Reveal Calculated Violence

The ambush unfolded at approximately 2:15 p.m. when Rahmanullah Lakanwal unleashed 10-15 shots from a .357 Magnum revolver, striking both guardsmen in the head execution-style. Prosecutors described the attack as premeditated, with Lakanwal allegedly seizing Beckstrom’s firearm after shooting her. Fellow National Guard troops responded immediately, shooting and restraining the attacker before he could inflict further casualties. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey formally requested Purple Hearts for both victims on December 19, 2025, calling it a “long-overdue honor” for troops who paid the ultimate price blocks from the White House while serving their country.

Afghan National’s Background Raises Security Questions

Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 as a former CIA “zero unit” collaborator during the Biden administration’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. He now faces nine federal charges including first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill, pleading not guilty on February 4, 2026. Prosecutors are pursuing death penalty eligibility. The FBI’s determination that foreign terrorist propaganda motivated the attack proved critical for Purple Heart eligibility, which requires enemy action rather than random criminal violence. This case underscores persistent concerns about inadequate vetting protocols that allowed potentially dangerous individuals into America during the chaotic 2021 evacuation, leaving patriots to question how someone with access to our intelligence operations could turn deadly.

Precedent-Setting Recognition for Domestic Deployment

The Purple Heart awards mark a rare domestic recognition for National Guard members serving in law enforcement roles rather than traditional combat zones. The 2,654 troops from eleven states plus D.C. were deployed under President Trump’s August 2025 crime emergency declaration through the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force. This mission extended Guard duties to patrolling federal parks, buildings, and Metro areas in response to escalating urban crime. The awards echo 2015’s Chattanooga shootings, where FBI terrorism findings enabled Purple Hearts despite bureaucratic delays. Hegseth’s swift action validates these service members’ sacrifices, affirming that defending American streets against terrorist threats deserves the same honor as overseas combat when enemies strike at home.

Staff Sgt. Wolfe has posted gratitude online as he continues steady recovery, while Beckstrom’s family mourns a daughter who gave her life protecting fellow citizens. Governor Morrisey declared West Virginia “will never forget” their courage. The formal presentation of Purple Hearts remains pending, but the recognition brings overdue validation to families devastated by an attack that should never have happened. As 170 West Virginia guardsmen remain deployed through 2026 alongside troops from other states, this tragedy reminds Americans that the threats facing our nation don’t stop at foreign borders when failed immigration policies bring danger to our doorstep.