National Guardsman Recovering After Being Shot in Washington DC

A servicemember of the National Guard is on the mend after he was gravely wounded in an targeted attack last month in Washington DC.

The family of Andrew Wolfe, 24, say "the injury to his head is slowly healing and that he's starting to 'regain his familiar appearance,'" said West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey.

The soldier's relatives expects the military non-commissioned officer to be in acute care for the coming fortnight, and they feel hopeful about his recovery, according to the official's statement.

Staff Sgt Wolfe was one of two West Virginia National Guard members shot when a shooter opened fire not far from the White House on 26 November. His colleague, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, succumbed to her wounds.

"Our request remains for all West Virginians and Americans for their thoughts and prayers!" the governor said.

Morrisey was present at a vigil on Friday evening for Staff Sgt Wolfe at a local secondary school in his hometown, where the guardsman was once a student.

A pastor at the event shared a statement from the guardsman's mother and father, his family.

"We know that there is a long road to go," they wrote, as reported by regional media Metro News.

"However our faith keeps us hopeful. We remain thankful for the prayers and the encouragement from people all over the world."

Earlier in the week, the governor said Staff Sgt Wolfe had acknowledged medical staff with a thumbs-up and was able to wiggle his feet.

Police have formally accused the alleged gunman, an Afghan national named the suspect, with first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill.

Before coming to the United States in 2021, he was once a member of a special forces unit in a CIA-backed unit that operated alongside US forces in Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt Wolfe was one of 2,000 National Guard members whom President Donald Trump deployed to the nation's capitol in August as part of his immigration and crime-related crackdown in Democratic-led cities.

In the aftermath of the shooting, the former president said he desired an additional five hundred military personnel sent to the District of Columbia.

The Trump administration has also referenced the attack as a reason for further restrictive policies.

They have cancelled all citizenship ceremonies for immigrants from 19 countries that were part of a entry restriction announced over the summer, including the suspect's home country.