Patrick Morrisey says no West Virginia National Guard members requested to go home after DC attack
WASHINGTON, DC: West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said on Friday that none of the state's National Guard members deployed to Washington DC, have requested to return home following a deadly shooting that killed one soldier and left another in critical condition.
"I haven't heard of anyone step back," Morrisey told CBS News, adding that the troops "wanted to stay" and "complete the mission and serve their state and country."
The remarks come days after a gunman opened fire on a group of West Virginia Guard members in the nation's capital, sparking renewed scrutiny of the long-running deployment and prompting President Donald Trump to order an additional surge of federal personnel to the city.
After the shooting: Troops remain on duty amid grief and uncertainty
As of Friday, 180 West Virginia National Guard members are deployed in Washington, according to the Joint Task Force, district of Columbia. They are part of roughly 1,300 out-of-state Guard personnel sent to the city earlier this year as part of the Trump administration's initiative to curb crime.
The attack on Wednesday killed 20-year-old Army spc Sarah Beckstrom, and critically injured 24-year-old Air Force Sgt Andrew Wolfe.
Morrisey who met Beckstrom's parents shortly after her death, described her as a beloved presence within her unit "someone whose presence brought positive energy to every room." Many have come forward to honor her memory, he said.
Wolfe remains in intensive care, and Morrisey emphasised the family's deep history of public service as Wolfe's father serves in the Berkeley County Sheriff's office. "His family asked for one thing- prayers," the governor said. "He's fighting for his life."
According to law enforcement, following the ambush shooting, a third Guard member stabbed the suspected gunman with a pocketknife while another returned fire, striking the attacker multiple times and ending the assault.
The suspect, a 29-year-old Afghan national, faces a charge of first-degree murder and remains hospitalized in serious conditions. Morrisey said West Virginia troops played a direct role in subduing the shooter but declined to provide operational details pending a federal review, calling their actions "swift, coordinated and heroic."
Deployment background and next steps
West Virginia first dispatched troops to Washington in August at President Trump's request, joining several Republican-led states in sending, National Guard members to support federal anti-crime operations. The state initially deployed between 300 and 400 soldiers.
Despite Trump ordering an additional 500 Guard personnel to DC after the shooting, Morrisey has not yet confirmed whether West Virginia troops would be part of that increase. He said he remains open to future decisions but will not "pre-judge" deployments.
"Right now, I'm focusing on the families, the guardsmen and healing," he said. Still, he insisted the mission should continue because "when evildoers come in and commit heinous acts, we can't back down. That's exactly what they want."
