US President Donald Trump said that Sarah Backstrom, a National Guard soldier who was seriously injured by an Afghan citizen near the White House, died in the hospital where she was admitted, world agencies reported.
"Sarah Backstrom from West Virginia, a very respected person, a young and wonderful person, who began her service in June 2023, remarkable in every way, has left us. She is no longer with us“, Trump said in a televised address.
He said that the other wounded National Guard soldier was fighting for his life. "He's in very serious condition. He's fighting for his life and we hope to get good news for him," Trump said. The president also said the gunman who was wounded in the shooting was in hospital in serious condition. The deceased, Sarah Backstrom, was 20 years old. The wounded National Guardsman was Andrew Wolf, 24. The gunman was identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal. Police have searched several properties in connection with the attack, including a home in Washington state linked to the gunman. Officers seized many electronic devices from the home, including iPads, cell phones and laptops. Relatives of the gunman have also been questioned. He drove across the country, from Washington state to the federal capital, Washington, to to shoot the two National Guard soldiers patrolling near the White House.
Years ago, the Afghan was part of a CIA-supported military unit in Afghanistan. He then arrived in the United States in 2021 under a resettlement program for Afghans who cooperated with the United States.
The United States will review green cards issued to citizens of countries defined as “causing concern“, world agencies reported. The decision was made after the attack carried out in Washington by an Afghan citizen against members of the US National Guard. The news was announced by the US immigration agency – US Immigration and Naturalization Service.
The director of the agency, Joseph Edlow, said that, in accordance with instructions from US President Donald Trump, he had ordered a full and thorough review of every green card issued to a foreign citizen coming to the United States. from countries considered to be of concern. In response to a question from Agence France-Presse about which countries were in question, the department referred to the presidential proclamation in June, which imposed a ban on entry into the United States or visa restrictions on citizens of 19 countries. These countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Burundi, Yemen, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.