Gone Too Soon: A Heartbroken Nation Honors Fallen National Guard Soldier Sarah Beckstrom
Gone Too Soon: A Heartbroken Nation Honors Fallen National Guard Soldier Sarah Beckstrom - File Photo The Newz Square
Tributes are flooding in for Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, the 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard member who died on Thanksgiving after succumbing to gunshot injuries sustained near the White House. Her colleague, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition following surgery after what officials describe as a targeted attack on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump confirmed Beckstrom’s death during a Thanksgiving call with service members. “She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now,” he said, adding that he had spoken with her devastated parents. Trump also said he may attend her funeral in West Virginia and described her as “outstanding in every way.”
Law enforcement officers lined the streets of Washington, D.C. on Thursday as Beckstrom’s body was moved from MedStar Washington Hospital to the medical examiner’s office. Communities across West Virginia held vigils, offering prayers both for Beckstrom and for Wolfe, who Trump said is “fighting for his life.”
Beckstrom had been deployed to D.C. as part of Operation D.C. Safe and Beautiful, a Trump initiative that sent more than 2,000 National Guard troops to the capital as part of a broader crime crackdown. The fallen soldier had enlisted in the West Virginia National Guard in June 2023.
West Virginia mourns a hero
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey led tributes from the state, calling Beckstrom someone who represented “the very best” of the state’s National Guard.
“Sarah served with courage, extraordinary resolve, and an unwavering sense of duty to her state and to her nation. Today we honor her bravery and her sacrifice,” Morrissey said.
The West Virginia National Guard also released a statement honoring Beckstrom, a 2023 graduate of Webster County High School and resident of Summersville. They praised her service during Operation D.C. Safe and Beautiful and said her loss was felt “profoundly across our One Guard Family and throughout the Mountain State.” read the statement.
Leaders across the nation react
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called Beckstrom “an American hero” and urged the nation to pray for her family. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the country would “never forget [Sarah’s] courage” and vowed that “justice” would be delivered.
FBI Director Kash Patel described her as a “young soldier and patriot with her entire life ahead of her.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was “deeply saddened” and emphasized the need to better protect service members deployed across the country.
Family and friends remember her heart
Beckstrom was surrounded by family in her final hours. Her father, Gary Beckstrom, told The New York Times he held her hand as doctors confirmed she would not recover.
Her former boyfriend, Adam Carr, who said the pair broke up on good terms after her deployment, told CNN that Beckstrom “would do anything for anyone” and had “a huge heart.”
The D.C. shooting and its political fallout
The shooting has quickly become central to the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown. Authorities identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, as the sole suspect. Trump responded by calling for the reexamination of all Afghan refugees admitted under the Biden Administration. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed that immigration processing for Afghan nationals has been indefinitely paused.
Hours after announcing Beckstrom’s death, Trump escalated his response, saying he would “permanently pause migration from all third world countries” and ordered a full reexamination of every Green Card issued to individuals from “countries of concern.” These countries align with those listed in a June presidential proclamation restricting foreign entry.
The rapid policy shift has drawn criticism, including warnings from United Nations representatives who view the actions as collective punishment.
Lakanwal remains in police custody facing charges including murder. The FBI has launched a nationwide investigation to determine the motive behind the attack on the two West Virginia National Guard members.
