Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe remains in serious condition after last week's shooting in Washington, D.C., West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said while urging the public to honor the family's request for prayers as the guardsman fights for his life.

Wolfe, 24, responded to a nurse with a thumbs-up and was also able to move his toes, Morrisey told reporters during a news conference, calling it "a positive sign" but adding he would not speculate on Wolfe's recovery.

"Andrew needs prayer," Morrisey said. "That's the only request his mother had — please ask people to continue to pray."

Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who was killed in the attack, was remembered as "an amazing woman who lifted up people with her smile," Morrisey said, adding that community vigils across the state have testified to her impact. He called her death the result of a "terrible act of terrorism" and said flags will remain at half-staff until further notice.

About 170 West Virginia Guard members remain deployed in Washington, D.C., on voluntary status, a mission the governor on Monday described as "noble service."

At the same news conference, Maj. Gen. Jim Seward, adjutant general for the West Virginia National Guard, said the Guard community — including members stationed overseas — has rallied together in grief.

"We are a family of over 6,000," he said. "When we lose one, every guardsman I've talked to is grieving." Leadership said Guard members on scene in D.C. acted professionally and in line with training: "They performed their duties as they have been trained," Seward said. "We remain confident in their ability."

Morrisey said he has spoken with President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, and he is confident in an ongoing "complete and full investigation," adding that the state will not speculate. "We're going to talk about this based on facts," he said. "Justice must be done — and it will be done through our criminal justice system."

The suspect in the shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was shot by another Guard member and taken into custody, officials said. He remains hospitalized. 

The 29-year-old Afghan national who worked with the CIA before the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 had been struggling with mental health in recent years, according to a social worker who was helping Lakanwal's family resettle in Washington state. 

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Friday the suspect would be charged with murder in the first degree. On Thursday, she said he was facing charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.