WVU football game holds moment of silence for National Guard members shot in DC

Fans were asked to participate in a stadium-wide pause to honor 24-year-old Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe of Martinsburg and 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom of Webster Springs. Their photos were displayed on the scoreboard as the crowd fell silent.

The two were among the West Virginia National Guard members deployed to DC to address rising crime and restore order in the capital at the direction of President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Wolfe and Beckstrom were shot near the White House in what officials said was a targeted attack. Beckstrom died from her injuries, and Wolfe remains in critical condition.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey told Fox News on Saturday, "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."

The suspect was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States during the Biden administration under Operation Allies Welcome, a resettlement program launched following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Lakanwal allegedly targeted the guardsmen in broad daylight, using a handgun to fire at them before they returned fire. He reportedly shot between 10 and 15 rounds with a .357 revolver before being detained.

Lakanwal faces charges of first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Department of Justice will seek the death penalty.