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Morrisey said the family of 24-year-old U.S. Air Force Staff
Sgt. Andrew Wolfe has asked the public to pray for him. Another
member of the West Virginia National Guard, U.S. Army Spc. Sarah
Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the shooting.
“Andrew is still fighting for his life,” Morrisey said. “Andrew
needs prayers.”
Morrisey said he could not yet share details of any funeral
arrangements for Beckstrom and wants to respect her family’s
wishes.
Beckstrom and Wolfe were shot Wednesday just blocks from the
White House while deployed as part of President Donald Trump’s
crime-fighting plan that federalized D.C. police.
Investigators are working to determine a motive. Rahmanullah
Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, is charged with one
count of first-degree murder and two counts of assault in the
shooting.
Authorities said Lakanwal, who was shot in the confrontation,
remained hospitalized and a court appearance has not yet been
scheduled.
The shooting prompted the Trump administration to halt all
asylum decisions and pause issuing visas for people traveling on
Afghan passports.
After the shooting, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump
asked him to send 500 more National Guard members to Washington.
Morrisey said he has not been asked to deploy additional troops
from West Virginia.
Overall, nearly 2,200 troops currently are assigned to the joint
task force operating in the city, according to the government’s
latest update. More than 300 West Virginia National Guard
members were deployed in August. In mid-November, up to 170 of
them volunteered to extend their deployment until the end of the
year while the others returned to West Virginia.
“Our sole focus right now is looking after the well-being of the
170 service members who are on the ground, focusing on the
family, assuring that prayers are going out,” Morrisey said.
Trump paid tribute to Beckstrom and Wolfe on Monday at a
Christmas party that an aide said was the first one at the White
House this year.
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Associated Press writer Leah Askarinam in Washington, D.C.,
contributed to this report.
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