U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, one of two National Guard soldiers shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, has died—an outcome that rocked military circles and set off a fresh wave of political backlash.
President Trump announced her death Thursday night during a virtual Thanksgiving address to service members, describing Beckstrom, 20, as a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” who was “savagely attacked.”
“She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her. It’s just happened,” Trump said.
The District of Columbia National Guard Public Affairs Office confirmed her death shortly afterward.
Beckstrom was among roughly 2,200 National Guard troops deployed to the capital as part of the administration’s push to get tougher on spiraling crime in the District. For many in the Guard community, the loss hit especially hard.
“On behalf of Governor Patrick Morrisey and the entire West Virginia National Guard, I extend my deepest condolences to Spc. Beckstrom’s family, friends, and fellow Guardsmen. We grieve alongside them and honor her memory by carrying forward her commitment to service, integrity, and excellence,” Maj. Gen. Jim Seward said.
Her death comes amid a legal fight over the presence of National Guard forces in D.C. A federal judge moved last week to block the administration from deploying them, but U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb put the ruling on hold until Dec. 11 while the appeal plays out.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that Trump had asked him to send additional troops to the city in the wake of the shooting.
Authorities have identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, as the suspected gunman. He was wounded at the scene and taken into custody. The White House condemned the attack and blamed the Biden administration for permitting Lakanwal to enter the United States under “Operation Allies Welcome,” the post-withdrawal program created to support vulnerable Afghans.
But according to multiple reports, Lakanwal was granted asylum earlier this year by the Trump administration—a detail that immediately complicated the political finger-pointing.
President Trump also asked Americans to keep the other injured Guard member, Andrew Wolfe, in their thoughts. Wolfe is still recovering from his injuries.
For Beckstrom’s family, her fellow Guardsmen, and colleagues, her death is a devastating reminder of the risks faced even in domestic service—and a stark moment of grief amid a charged political backdrop.
