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Dramatic eyewitness video has emerged showing the moment two National Guard members were ambushed in Washington, D.C., in a brazen daylight attack that left one soldier dead and another fighting for his life.
The footage, taken by an eyewitness in a passing vehicle and obtained by the Wall Street Journal, shows alleged Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, with what appears to be a revolver in his hand, as two Guardsmen scramble for cover.
One Guardsman can then be seen sprinting around a corner down a street and returning fire.
The horrific scene, which took place about three blocks north of the White House, captures Lakanwal raising his arm. Seconds later, he opened fire on two West Virginia National Guard members, the outlet reported.
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The video then briefly captures the fallen troops lying on the sidewalk. The incident, which has rocked the nation, unfolded on 17th Street NW near Farragut West Metro Station at around 2:15 p.m.
The shooter fired off 10 to 15 rounds with a .357 revolver, according to federal charging documents cited by Reuters.
Police said that one of the Guardsmen returned fire, hitting the suspect and ending the ambush.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom died from her injuries on Thursday while Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition.
Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden administration’s Afghan evacuation and resettlement program. Prosecutors say he traveled across the country shortly before the attack and had no prior criminal record.
He now faces charges including first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Department of Justice intends to seek the death penalty.
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Beckstrom and Wolfe are members of the West Virginia National Guard, which was deployed to the nation’s capital to tackle crime in the city following an executive order from President Donald Trump earlier this year.
Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., said Saturday told “FOX & Friends Weekend” on Saturday that Wolfe is “hanging on,” adding that his family is calling for prayer.
“His father is a deputy sheriff in the county next to mine and Andy wanted to follow in [those] footsteps and serve his nation as a National Guardsman,” Moore told “FOX & Friends Weekend.”
“Andy is hanging on. And he is a fighter and his family has told me that time and time again, he is a fighter,” Moore added. “But above all what they want here is for everybody to continue to pray. I believe in the power of prayer and I can promise you his parents believe in the power of prayer… Please keep praying.”
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey also told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Saturday that, “Andrew is fighting for his life right now, and his family and all of his friends, they’re trying to harvest as many prayers as possible from all across the country, all across the globe, to help him recover.”
Morrisey said Wolfe’s condition, as of Saturday, “remains very serious.”
“West Virginia cares very deeply about its Guard. And there’s just a proud tradition of West Virginians who step up from military service. So when something like this happens, it’s really a gut punch to the communities,” Morrisey added.
“Most importantly, we need justice to be served. That’s critical. I think West Virginians are counting on that. Americans are counting on that,” he told Fox News.
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