Critically wounded National Guard member being moved to in-patient rehabilitation

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A West Virginia National Guard member who was shot last month in the nation’s capital is being transitioned from hospital acute care to in-patient rehabilitation, a doctor said Friday.

Staff. Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was airlifted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center with a critical gunshot wound to the head on Nov. 26. Wolfe and Spc. Sarah Beckstrom were ambushed as they patrolled a subway station three blocks from the White House. Beckstrom died the next day.

Wolfe has “made extraordinary progress,” Dr. Jeffrey Mai, a MedStar neurosurgeon, said in a news release. “He is now breathing on his own and can stand with assistance — important milestones that reflect his strength and determination. Based on these improvements, he is now ready to transition from acute care to inpatient rehabilitation as the next step in his recovery journey.”

Wolfe’s family chose not to disclose the location of his rehabilitation. His parents, Melody and Jason Wolfe, expressed gratitude to the hospital, its doctors, nurses and staff.

“The care has been remarkable, and they have told us Andy’s progress is miraculous,” the couple said in a statement released through the hospital.

The family also asked for continued prayers as Wolfe "begins a long and tough rehabilitation.”

“We know he will continue to improve at a rapid pace and know your prayers are making the difference,” they said. “Please continue as God heals Andrew and gives him the strength to return to work, the West Virginia National Guard, and his new mission of being a light into this world. The support we’ve received from Andy’s military family, his hometown community, and people across the nation has been extraordinary.”

Beckstrom was buried in a private funeral on Wednesday.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who was also shot during the confrontation, has been charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Wolfe, 24, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, about 75 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., was assigned to the Force Support Squadron, 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard. He has worked as a lineman with Frontier Communications since early 2023, the company said.

Wolfe joined the National Guard in 2019, the year he graduated from high school. At Musselman, Wolfe was an engaged and high-achieving student “who embodied the Applemen spirit, contributing positively to our school community both academically and athletically,” Principal Alicia Riggleman said.

Wolfe and Beckstrom were among more than 2,000 troops deployed to the nation’s capital as part of President Donald Trump’s crime-fighting mission that involved taking over the local police department.