Sarah Beckstrom, one of the National Guard troops injured in the Washington, DC, shooting on Wednesday, has died, US President Donald Trump said on November 27.
“Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen that we're talking about, highly respected, young, magnificent person… She's just passed away. She's no longer with us,” Trump said in his first live remarks since the shooting, according to reports.
Beckstrom, 20, was one of two National Guard members targeted near the White House.
Who Was Sarah Beckstrom?
Sarah Beckstrom, from Summersville, West Virginia, began her service on June 6, 2023, and was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade of the West Virginia Army National Guard, according to The New York Times.
The West Virginia National Guard deployed hundreds of troops to Washington as part of Trump's crime-fighting mission in the capital. Beckstrom volunteered to work in the nation's capital over the Thanksgiving holiday, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News after the shooting.
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More About Sarah Beckstrom
Adam Carr, Beckstrom's former boyfriend, described her as “caring and tender-hearted,” according to The NYT. He added that she worked for the military police and joined the National Guard because she aspired for a career in the FBI. Beckstrom loved nature, road trips, and spending time with her family.
“As long as she was with people who cared about her, she was having a good time,” Carr said.
Though she was not initially excited to go to Washington, Beckstrom eventually embraced the experience. Carr said she met people who were unhappy with the Guard's presence, but later enjoyed exploring museums, walking along memorials, and doing things she could not do in West Virginia.
Ongoing Investigation And Security Concerns
The other victim, US Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition in the hospital. Both were shot at close range. Police have arrested one suspect in connection with the attack, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old from Afghanistan.
The shooting came months after President Trump ordered hundreds of National Guard troops to strengthen law enforcement and tackle crime in Washington earlier this year.
