A National Guard member critically wounded last week in an ambush shooting in the District is awake and responding to medical professionals, according to West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in serious condition but appears to be improving.
“We did have some positive news that we were told that Andrew was asked if he could hear the nurse who asked the question to give a thumbs-up, and he did respond,” Mr. Morrisey said Monday. “And we were told that he also wiggled his toes. So we take that as a positive sign.”
Sgt. Wolfe and Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, were ambushed a day before Thanksgiving by a shooter just blocks from the White House. Spc. Beckstrom died of her injuries.
Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is facing a capital murder charge along with three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
Both victims came to the District with the West Virginia National Guard at President Trump’s request.
Mr. Morrisey said 170 National Guard members from West Virginia are currently deployed to the nation’s capital, and all are serving there voluntarily.
“They’re volunteering because they believe in the mission. They want to support the state of West Virginia. They want to support the country. And I think that can’t be lost,” Mr. Morrisey said. “These are people that understand that the mission was good, that there was an opportunity to try to reduce crime in the District of Columbia. By all measures, it’s been working, and so I know that they’re proud of that.”
In response to the shooting, Mr. Trump ordered a “rigorous examination” of green cards issued to immigrants from Afghanistan and 18 other countries.
Mr. Trump also invited the families of both shooting victims to visit the White House and plans to honor both Guard members.
“Andrew is fighting for his life, and his parents are unbelievably great people, highly religious people,” Mr. Trump said recently. “They’re praying, and they want everybody to pray for Andrew, and he has a chance to make it.”
The Trump administration is appealing a Nov. 20 ruling by a federal judge blocking the president’s deployment of the National Guard.
