One of the two members of the National Guard who were shot in Washington DC on Wednesday has died, US President Donald Trump said.

Sarah Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries, while the second National Guard member, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, 'is fighting for his life', Trump said on Thursday evening.

Both were shot at close range near Farragut Square in downtown DC just after 14:00 EST (19:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Police have arrested one suspect in the shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old from Afghanistan.

On Friday, the US attorney for Washington DC announced the initial charges of assault against the suspect will be upgraded to 'murder in the first degree'.

The two soldiers were attacked while deployed to address urban crime in the capital. President Trump voiced condolences during a Thanksgiving call to US service members, noting Beckstrom as a 'highly respected' young individual.

Beckstrom had enlisted in the National Guard earlier this year and volunteered for duty during the Thanksgiving holiday. Her precedent-breaking service has evoked widespread mourning from political figures, including Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia.

The attack and its implications on security policies, particularly concerning immigration and national safety, have become points of heightened concern amidst calls for justice and support for the victims.